sheerly Definition

sheer¹
adj

1. Complete; absolute or downright.

Example: sheer madness
Thesaurus: absolute, utter, complete, downright, total, unmitigated, unadulterated; Antonym: qualified.
2. Said of a cliff, etc: vertical or nearly vertical.

Example: a sheer drop
Thesaurus: steep, precipitous, abrupt, perpendicular, vertical.
3. Said eg of a fabric: so thin or fine as to be almost transparent.

Example: sheer tights
Thesaurus: thin, transparent, diaphanous, delicate, gossamer, gauzy, flimsy; Antonym: heavy, thick.

adverb

1. Completely.
2. Vertically or nearly vertically.

Example: a rock face rising sheer

Derivative: sheerly
adverb

Etymology: 12c as schere: possibly from a lost Anglo-Saxon equivalent of Norse skaerr bright.