Emily Dickinson Lexicon

SHEER, a. [Sax. scir, scyr; G. schier; Dan. skier; Sans. charu, tscharu; from the root of shear, to separate; whence sheer is clear, pure. It might be deduced from the Shemitic זהר, to be clear; Eth. ጸርየ, to be clean or pure. But the Danish and Saxon orthography coincides with that of Shear.]

1. Pure; clear; separate from any thing foreign; unmingled; as, sheer ale. But this application is unusual. – Shak. We say, sheer argument, sheer wit, sheer falsehood, &c.
2. Clear; thin; as, sheer muslin.