1. complete; absolute
2. very steep; almost vertical
3. very thin and transparent

1. straight up or down; vertically

1. to change direction suddenly
Usage: often used with ‘away’ or ‘off’

Examples

• It was sheer luck that we found the keys.
• The sheer cliff face was impossible to climb.
• She wore sheer curtains in the living room.
• The mountain dropped sheer into the valley below.
• The boat sheered away from the rocks.
• His sheer determination helped him succeed.
• The fabric was so sheer you could see through it.
• The car sheered off the road during the storm.