Meanings
alternative shearlegs · alternative sheerlegs · alternative sheer legs
- uncountablenauticalA form of derrick, consisting of three poles and a block and tackle, used to hoist and lower heavy weights, especially the masts of sailing ships.
Apart from its unique public viewing gallery, the depot features 40-ton capacity shear legs which will be complemented shortly by an overhead lifting crane.
1979 August, Michael Harris, “A line for all reasons: the North Yorkshire Moors Railway”, in Railway World, pages 412, 414Synonyms: sheers
Synonyms & antonyms
nounA form of derrick, consisting of three poles and a block and tackle, used to hoist and lower heavy weights, especially the masts of sailing ships.
Translations
Māori tokorangi
- tokorangidevice for lifting heavy weights
Turkish maçuna
- maçunadevice for lifting heavy weights
Cite this entry
shear legs. (n.d.). In WatkinsX Dictionary. Retrieved November 4, 2026, from https://dictionary.watkinsx.com/word/shear%20legs
“shear legs.” WatkinsX Dictionary, https://dictionary.watkinsx.com/word/shear%20legs. Accessed November 4, 2026.
WatkinsX Dictionary, s.v. “shear legs,” accessed November 4, 2026, https://dictionary.watkinsx.com/word/shear%20legs.
Source: shear legs on Wiktionary, CC BY-SA 4.0.