An Etymological Dictionary of the German Language/schier

by Friedrich Kluge

schier, adj., ‘clear, pure, simple, sheer,’ from MidHG. (MidG.) schîr, ‘mere, pure, glittering’; comp. OSax. skîr, skîri, AS. scîr, ‘pure, glittering,’ E. shere, sheer, OIc. skírr, Goth. skeirs, ‘clear, manifest’; a derivative of the root skî, ‘to shine, glitter.’ In ModHG. this adj. has been confused in sound with the following adv., yet the ModHG. form may be also of LG. origin. See scheinen. schier, adv., ‘almost,’ from MidHG. schiere, adv., ‘quickly, soon,’ OHG. sciaro, older skêro, adv., ‘quickly’; allied to OHG. sciari, scêri, adj., ‘sagacious, zealous in tracing out’; comp. Du. schier, ‘almost’ (OIc. skýrr, skœ́rr, ‘bright, clear’).