a. The upward curve or amount of upward curve of the longitudinal lines of a ships hull as viewed from the side.
b. The position in which a ship at anchor is maintained in order to keep it clear of the anchor.
[Probably partly from Low German scheren, to move to and fro (said of boats), and partly from Dutch scheren, to withdraw; see sker-1 in Indo-European roots.]
sheer 2(shîr)
adj.sheer·er, sheer·est
1. Thin, fine, and transparent: sheer curtains; sheer chiffon. See Synonyms at airy.
2.
a. Completely such, without qualification or exception: sheer stupidity; sheer happiness.
b. Free from admixture or adulterants; unmixed: sheer alcohol. See Synonyms at pure.
c. Considered or operating apart from anything else: got the job through sheer persistence.
3. Almost perpendicular; steep: sheer rock cliffs. See Synonyms at steep1.
adv.
1. Almost perpendicularly.
2. Completely; altogether.
[Obsolete shere, thin, clear, partly from Middle English shir, bright, clear (from Old English scr) and partly from Middle English skir, bright, clean (from Old Norse skærr).]
sheerly adv.
sheerness n.
sheer /r/ adj.-er, -est1 thin and able to be seen through: We saw people moving behind the sheer curtains.2 absolute, complete: The murderer killed a man in an act of sheer madness.||I picked the right number and won by sheer luck.
r/ adj. -er, -est 1 thin and able to be seen through: We saw people moving behind the sheer curtains. 2 absolute, complete: The murderer killed a man in an act of sheer madness.||I picked the right number and won by sheer luck. 
r) and partly from Middle English skir, bright, clean (from Old Norse skærr).]
ly adv.