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The Collaborative International Dictionary
To break sheer

Sheer \Sheer\, n.

  1. (Naut.)

    1. The longitudinal upward curvature of the deck, gunwale, and lines of a vessel, as when viewed from the side.

    2. The position of a vessel riding at single anchor and swinging clear of it.

  2. A turn or change in a course.

    Give the canoe a sheer and get nearer to the shore.
    --Cooper.

  3. pl. Shears See Shear.

    Sheer batten (Shipbuilding), a long strip of wood to guide the carpenters in following the sheer plan.

    Sheer boom, a boom slanting across a stream to direct floating logs to one side.

    Sheer hulk. See Shear hulk, under Hulk.

    Sheer plan, or Sheer draught (Shipbuilding), a projection of the lines of a vessel on a vertical longitudinal plane passing through the middle line of the vessel.

    Sheer pole (Naut.), an iron rod lashed to the shrouds just above the dead-eyes and parallel to the ratlines.

    Sheer strake (Shipbuilding), the strake under the gunwale on the top side.
    --Totten.

    To break sheer (Naut.), to deviate from sheer, and risk fouling the anchor.