Scissors vs. Shears — What's the Difference?

Scissors are hand-operated shearing tools. A pair of scissors consists of a pair of metal blades pivoted so that the sharpened edges slide against each other when the handles (bows) opposite to the pivot are closed.

To remove (fleece or hair) by cutting or clipping.

To cut or clip with scissors or shears.

To remove the hair or fleece from.

Scissors (used with a sing. or pl. verb) A cutting implement consisting of two blades joined by a swivel pin that allows the cutting edges to be opened and closed.

To cut with or as if with shears

Any of various gymnastic exercises or jumps in which the movement of the legs suggests the opening and closing of scissors.

To divest or deprive as if by cutting

A scissors hold.

To use a cutting tool such as shears.

A tool used for cutting thin material, consisting of two crossing blades attached at a pivot point in such a way that the blades slide across each other when the handles are closed.

To move or proceed by or as if by cutting

A type of defensive maneuver in dogfighting, involving repeatedly turning one's aircraft towards that of the attacker in order to force them to overshoot.

(Physics) To become deformed by shear force.

An instance of the above dogfighting maneuver.

A pair of scissors.

An attacking move conducted by two players; the player without the ball runs from one side of the ball carrier, behind the ball carrier, and receives a pass from the ball carrier on the other side.

Any of various implements or machines that cut with a scissorlike action.

A method of skating with one foot significantly in front of the other.

The act, process, or result of shearing, especially when used to indicate a sheep's age

An exercise in which the legs are switched back and forth, suggesting the motion of scissors.

Something cut off by shearing.

A scissors hold.

Also sheers (shîrz) (used with a sing. or pl. verb) An apparatus used to lift heavy weights, consisting of two or more spars joined at the top and spread at the base, the tackle being suspended from the top.

(rock paper scissors) A hand with the index and middle fingers open (a handshape resembling scissors), that beats paper and loses to rock. It beats lizard and loses to Spock in rock-paper-scissors-lizard-Spock.

See shear force.

(rare) scissor

See shear strain.

(transitive) scissor

See shear stress.

(dated) Cry of anguish or frustration.

Plural of shear

A cutting instrument resembling shears, but smaller, consisting of two cutting blades with handles, movable on a pin in the center, by which they are held together. Often called a pair of scissors.

A tool consisting of two blades with bevel edges, connected by a pivot, used for cutting cloth, or for removing the fleece from sheep etc.

And edge tool having two crossed pivoting blades

(engineering) The bedpiece of a machine tool, upon which a table or slide rest is secured.

A wrestling hold in which you wrap your legs around the opponents body or head and put your feet together and squeeze

An apparatus for raising heavy weights, and especially for stepping and unstepping the lower masts of ships. It consists of two or more spars or pieces of timber, fastened together near the top, steadied by a guy or guys, and furnished with the necessary tackle. Also sheers.

A gymnastic exercise performed on the pommel horse when the gymnast moves his legs as scissors move

Anything resembling a pair of shears in shape or motion, such as a pair of wings.

A cutting instrument.

A similar instrument the blades of which are extensions of a curved spring, - used for shearing sheep or skins.

Anything in the form of shears.

The bedpiece of a machine tool, upon which a table or slide rest is secured; as, the shears of a lathe or planer. See Illust. under Lathe.

(usually plural) large scissors with strong blades