Real Dictionary

sheer
A sheer cliff or drop is extremely steep or completely vertical.
You can use sheer to emphasize that a state or situation is complete and does not involve or is not mixed with anything else.
adjective: Sheer material is very thin, light, and delicate.

sheer in American English 1
very thin; transparent; diaphanous
adjective: transparently thin; diaphanous, as some fabrics
adverb: clear; completely; quite
noun: a thin, diaphanous material, as chiffon or voile

sheer in American English 2
a sudden change of course; abrupt turn; swerve
to turn aside sharply from a course; swerve
intransitive verb: to deviate from a course, as a ship; swerve
noun: a deviation or divergence, as of a ship from its course; swerve
transitive verb: to cause to sheer

sheer in British English 1
adjective: perpendicular; very steep
adverb: steeply or perpendicularly
noun: any transparent fabric used for making garments

sheer in British English 2
noun: the upward sweep of the deck or bulwarks of a vessel
verb: to deviate or cause to deviate from a course