schier

See also: Schier

Alemannic German

Etymology

From Middle High German schier, from Old High German skiaro (“fast, immediately”). Cognate with German schier.

Pronunciation

• IPA^(key): /ʃiər/

Adverb

schier

1. almost, nearly

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Dutch

Etymology

From Old Dutch *skīr, from Proto-Germanic *skīriz.

Pronunciation

• Audio:

  (file)

Adverb

schier

1. (archaic) almost

Derived terms

• schiereiland - peninsula

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German

Pronunciation

• IPA^(key): /ʃiːɐ̯/

Etymology 1

From (deprecated template usage) [etyl] Middle High German schir (“immediate, quick”) (adv. schire), (deprecated template usage) [etyl] Old High German skeri (“sharp, acute, quick, rapid”), likely cognate with Old Slavonic скоръ (skorŭ, “rapid”) (Russian скорый (skoryj)), Lithuanian skėrỹs (“grasshopper”), Greek σκαίρειν (skaírein, “to jump”).

Grimm assumes partial conflation with scheir (“pure, bright”) (English sheer).

Adjective

schier (comparative schierer, superlative am schiersten)

1. next, adjacent, immediate, soon, sudden

Adverb

schier

1. soon, nearly, almost

   1545: Hüter, ist die Nacht schier hin? (Luther, Isaiah 21:11)

   1545: Ich habe schier meine Augen ausgeweinet (Luther, Lamentations 2:11)

Synonyms

• fast, beinahe

Etymology 2

From Low German, adopted in High German in the 18th century, the High German equivalent scheir gradually falling out of use; cognate with scheuern (“to scour”), like sheer from (deprecated template usage) [etyl] Proto-Germanic *skīriz (“pure, sheer”).

Adjective

schier (comparative schierer, superlative am schiersten)

1. pure, clear, bright, sheer
2. (of meat) without bones, fat, or tendons

Synonyms

• bloß, rein