shearing

From Middle English scherynge; equivalent to shear +‎ -ing.

shearing (not comparable)

1. Tending to cut or tear.

shearing

1. present participle and gerund of shear

shearing (countable and uncountable, plural shearings)

1. The act or operation of clipping with shears or a shearing machine, as the wool from sheep, or the nap from cloth.
2. The material cut off in this way.

   the whole shearing of a flock; the shearings from cloth

3. Deformation by forces acting in opposite directions.
4. Alternative form of shearling.
   • 1864, William Youatt, The Complete Grazier and Farmer's and Cattle-Breeder's:

     When male sheep have been castrated , they are termed — from the period of weaning to that of shearing — wether , or wedder or shear hogs or tegs, then shearings , shearlings , dinmonts , & c .

5. (Scotland) The act or operation of reaping.
6. The act or operation of dividing with shears.

   the shearing of metal plates

7. The process of preparing shear steel; tilting.
8. (mining) The process of making a vertical side cutting in working into a face of coal.

• shearing shed

• gnashier, hearings, hearsing