shears
Two-bladed garden tool
Shears are large scissors, typically with long blades and sturdy handles, used for cutting fabric, hedges, metal, or sheep's wool.
The word is almost always plural—you reach for the shears, not a shear.
Specialized types include pinking shears for zigzag fabric edges and pruning shears for garden work.
To shear sheep is to cut their wool; the tool doing the cutting is shears.
Wool still on sheep
- woolSheared animal fiber
- flockAnimals gathered together
- bladeFlat cutting edge
- combToothed grooming implement
cutter · handpiece · lanolin · ewe · ram · lamb · station · shed
Cutting vegetation for health
- hedgeBoundary of planted shrubs
- topiaryShaped shrub sculpture
- trimmingCutting away excess
- clippingPiece cut out
bushes · shrubs · hedging · loppers · deadheading · espalier · branches · thinning
Grooming establishment or gathering
- hairdresserProfessional who styles locks
- barberProfessional who trims locks
- thinningReducing density or number
- texturizingAdding varied surface quality
layers · cutting · styling · bangs · blending · feathering · chunking · razor
Woven or knit material
- seamstressOne who stitches garments
- dressmakerOne who sews garments
- pinkingCutting decorative zigzag edges
- cuttingDividing via sharp edge
cloth · sewing · pattern · garment · textile · hemming · alterations · bespoke
Element fifty, Sn
- snipsSmall cuts or cuttings
- sheet-metalFlat-rolled thin alloy
- aviationFlying or operating aircraft
- compoundCombined into one
straight-cut · ductwork · flashing · HVAC · copper · aluminum · nibbler · bench
fleece
Wool still on sheep
comb · cutter · handpiece · lanolin · ewe · ram · lamb · station · shed · clippers
pruning
Cutting vegetation for health
clipping · bushes · shrubs · hedging · loppers · deadheading · espalier · branches · thinning · secateurs
snip
Small quick cut
slice · chop · cleave · carve · cut · divide · detach · incise · slit · crop
salon
Grooming establishment or gathering
- hairdresserProfessional who styles locks
- barberProfessional who trims locks
- thinningReducing density or number
texturizing · layers · cutting · styling · bangs · blending · feathering · chunking · razor · comb
fabric
Woven or knit material
- seamstressOne who stitches garments
- dressmakerOne who sews garments
- pinkingCutting decorative zigzag edges
cutting · cloth · sewing · pattern · garment · textile · hemming · alterations · bespoke · notching
tin
Element fifty, Sn
- snipsSmall cuts or cuttings
- sheet-metalFlat-rolled thin alloy
- aviationFlying or operating aircraft
compound · straight-cut · ductwork · flashing · HVAC · copper · aluminum · nibbler · bench · fabrication
poultry
Birds raised for food
- spatchcockSplit and flatten poultry
- chickenDomestic fowl for eating
- backboneVertebral column, or courage
joint · carving · butchering · herb · seafood · crab · lobster · deboning · trimming · snipping
sharp
Fine-edged, or astute
whetted · pointed · sharpened · ground · stropped · filed · tempered · hardened · serrated · beveled
- cutting toolsaxe, saw, saws, knife, blade
- excavator attachmentsbucket, auger, breaker, grapple, thumb
- glassworkingglassblowing, glass blowing, lampworking, flamework, lampwork
- sheep shearingfleece, handpiece, combs, classing, skirting
- gardenbed, seeds, bloom, blossom, compost
- dressmakingsewing, fabric, pattern, fitting, hem
shearsembroidery scissors
Small shears for stitching
nail scissors · cuticle scissors · scissors · surgical scissors · craft scissors
shearsneedle and thread
glue gun · welder · sewing machine · loom · knitting needles
- kitchen shearsHeavy-duty culinary cutters
- pruning shearsTool for cutting branches
- garden shearsTool for trimming plants
- hedge shearsManual shrub-trimming tool
- pairs of shearsDual-bladed cutting tool
- sheep shearingRemoving a lamb's coat
shear, shearing, sheared, shearer, shearling, shearers, unsheared