A- (3) prefix meaning "not," from Gk a-, an- "not," from pie base *ne "not" (see un-)

shad --- O.E. sceadd, possibly from Scand. (cf. Norw. dialectal skadd "small whitefish"); but cf. Welsh ysgadan (pl.), Ir., Gael. sgadan "herring." Low Ger. schade may be from Eng.

shade --- O.E. sceadu "shade, shadow, darkness," also "shady place, protection from glare or heat," from P.Gmc. *skadwo (cf. O.S. skado, M.Du. scade, Du. schaduw, O.H.G. scato, Ger. Schatten, Goth. skadus), from PIE *skotwa, from base *skot- "dark, shade" (cf. Gk. skotos "darkness," Alb. kot "darkness," O.Ir. scath, O.Welsh scod, Bret. squeut "darkness"). Meaning "grade of color" first recorded 1690 (cf. Fr. nuance, from nue "cloud"). Meaning "ghost" is from 1616. Sense of "window blind" first recorded 1867, Amer.Eng. The verb meaning "to screen from light or heat" is recorded from c.1400.

shadow (n.) --- O.E. sceadwe, sceaduwe, oblique cases of sceadu (see shade). As a designation of members of an opposition party chosen as counterparts of the government in power, it is recorded from 1906. Shadow of Death (Ps. xxiii:4, etc.) is Gk. skia thanatou, perhaps a mistranslation of a Heb. word for "intense darkness." Shadow-boxing is from 1924 (shadow-fight is attested from 1768; cf. also sciamachy). Shadowland "abode of ghosts and spirits" is attested from 1821. Shadowy "transitory, fleeting, unreal" is recorded from 1374.

shadow (v.) --- late O.E. sceadwian "to protect as with covering wings" (cf. also overshadow), from the root of shadow (n.). Meaning "to follow like a shadow" is from 1602 in an isolated instance; not attested again until 1872.

shady --- affording shade, 1579, from shade (q.v.). Meaning disreputable" (1862) probably is from earlier university slang sense of "of questionable merit, unreliable" (1848).

Shafi'i --- member of one of the four principal schools of Sunni Muslims, 1704, from Arabic, from ash-Shafi'i, cognomen of founder Abu Abdallah Muhammad ibn Idris (767-819).

shaft (1) --- O.E. sceaft "long, slender rod of a staff or spear," from P.Gmc. *skaftaz (cf. O.N. skapt, O.S. skaft, O.H.G. scaft, Ger. schaft, Du. schacht, not found in Gothic), which some connect with a Gmc. passive pp. of PIE base *(s)kep- "to cut, to scrape" (cf. O.E. scafan "to shave") on notion of "tree branch stripped of its bark." But cf. L. scapus "shaft, stem, shank," which appears to be a cognate. Meaning "beam or ray" (of light, etc.) is attested from c.1300. Vulgar slang meaning "penis" first recorded 1719. Verb meaning "treat cruelly and unfairly" is 1950s, with overtones of sodomy.

shaft (2) --- long, narrow passage sunk into the earth, 1433, probably from shaft (1) on notion of "long and cylindrical," perhaps as a translation of cognate Low Ger. schacht in this sense (Grimm's suggestion, though OED is against it). Or it may represent a separate (unrecorded) development in O.E. directly from P.Gmc. *skaftaz in the original sense of "scrape, dig." The double sense of shaft is attested in country music song title, "She Got the Gold Mine, I Got the Shaft."

shag (n.) --- 1592, "cloth having a velvet nap on one side," from O.E. sceacga "rough matted hair or wool," cognate with O.N. skegg "beard," from P.Gmc. *skagjan, perhaps related to O.H.G. scahho "promontory," with a connecting sense of "jutting out, projecting." Of tobacco, "cut in fine shreds," it is recorded from 1789; of carpets, rugs, etc., from 1946. Shagbark as a type of hickory is from 1751. Shaggy is attested from c.1590 (earlier shagged, O.E.); shaggy-dog story first recorded 1945.

shag (v.) --- copulate with, 1788, probably from obs. verb shag (c.1380) "to shake, waggle," which probably is connected to shake (cf. shake, shake it in U.S. blues slang from 1920s, ostensibly with ref. to dancing).

shah --- title of the king of Persia, 1564, shaw, from Pers. shah, shortened from O.Pers. xšayathiya "king," cognate with Skt. xšatra "dominion;" Gk. krasthai "to acquire, get," kektesthai "to possess." His wife is a shahbanu (from banu "lady"); his son is a shahzadah (from zadah "son").

shake (n.) --- c.1380, from shake (v.). As a type of instantaneous action, it is recorded from 1816. Phrase fair shake "honest deal" is attested from 1830, Amer.Eng. The shakes "nervous agitation" is from 1624. Shakeout "business upheaval" is from 1895; shake-up "reorganization" is from 1899. Dismissive phrase no great shakes (1816) perhaps is from dicing.

shake (v.) --- O.E. sceacan "to vibrate, make vibrate, move away" (class VI strong verb; past tense scoc, pp. scacen), from P.Gmc. *skakanan (cf. O.N., Swed. skaka, Dan. skage "to shift, turn, veer"). No certain cognates outside Gmc., but some suggest a possible connection to Skt. khaj "to agitate, churn, stir about," O.C.S. skoku "a leap, bound," Welsh ysgogi "move," and ult. to PIE *(s)keg-. To shake hands dates from 1535. Shaky "insecure, unreliable" (of credit, etc.) is from 1841. Shake a leg "hurry up" first recorded 1904; shake a heel (sometimes foot) was an old way to say "to dance" (1667). Phrase more _____ than you can shake a stick at is attested from 1818, Amer.Eng. To shake (one's) head as a sign of disapproval is recorded from c.1300. Shaken, of persons, "weakened and agitated by shocks" is from 1641.

shakedown --- 1730, "impromptu bed made upon loose straw," from shake + down. Fig. verbal sense of "blackmail, extort" is attested from 1872, noun meaning "a thorough search" is from 1914; both probably from the notion of measuring corn. The verbal phrase to shake down "cause to totter and fall" is recorded from c.1400.

shaker --- c.1440, "one who or which shakes," from shake. Applied from 1648 (with capital initial) to various Christian sects whose devotional exercises often involved convulsions. The best-known, the American-based "Society of Believers in Christ's Second Appearing" so called from 1784; the adj. with ref. to furniture styles associated with the Shakers is recorded from 1866. Meaning "container for mixing cocktails, etc." is recorded from 1868. Phrase movers and shakers is attested from 1874.

Shakespeare --- surname recorded from 1248, and means "a spearman." This was a common type of Eng. surname, e.g. Shakelance (1275), Shakeshaft (1332). Shake in the sense of "to brandish or flourish (a weapon)" is attested from late O.E.

shako --- cylindrical soldier's hat with plume, 1815, from Hungarian csákó, short for csákó süveg "peaked cap," from adj. form of csák "peak, projecting point of a cow's horn," which European etymologists derive from Ger. zacken "point, spike."

shale --- 1747, possibly a specialized use of M.E. schale "shell, husk, pod" (c.1380), also "fish scale," from O.E. scealu (see shell) in its base sense of "thing that divides or separate," in ref. to the way the rock breaks apart in layers. Geological use also possibly influenced by Ger. Schalstein "laminated limestone," and Schalgebirge "layer of stone in stratified rock."

shall --- O.E. sceal "I owe/he owes, will have to, ought to, must" (infinitive sculan, pt. sceolde), a common Gmc. preterite-present verb, from P.Gmc. *skal-, *skul- (cf. O.S. sculan, O.N., Swed. skola, M.Du. sullen, O.H.G. solan, Ger. sollen, Goth. skulan "to owe, be under obligation;" related via past tense form to O.E. scyld "guilt," Ger. Schuld "guilt, debt;" also O.N. Skuld, name of one of the Norns). Ground sense probably is "I owe," hence "I ought." The sense shifted in M.E. from a notion of "obligation" to include "futurity." Its past tense form has become should (q.v.). Cognates outside Gmc. are Lith. skeleti "to be guilty," skilti "to get into debt;" O.Prus. skallisnan "duty," skellants "guilty."

shallop --- kind of light boat, 1578, from Fr. chaloupe, from Du. sloep "sloop" (see sloop). Cf. Sp. chalupa, It. scialuppa.

shallot --- 1664, from Fr. échalote, from M.Fr. eschalotte, from O.Fr. eschaloigne, from V.L. *escalonia (see scallion).

shallow --- c.1400, schalowe "not deep," probably from O.E. sceald (see shoal). Of breathing, attested from 1875; of thought or feeling, "superficial," first recorded c.1586. The noun, usually shallows, is first recorded 1571, from the adj.

shalom --- Jewish word of greeting, 1881, from Heb., lit. "peace," prop. "completeness, soundness, welfare," from stem of shalam "was intact, was complete, was in good health."

sham (n.) --- 1677, "a trick, a hoax, a fraud," perhaps from sham, a northern dialectal variant of shame (q.v.). Sense of "Something meant to be mistaken for something else" is from 1728. The meaning in pillow-sham (1721) is from the notion of "counterfeit." The adj. is attested from 1681; the verb from 1677. Shamateur "amateur sportsman who acts like a professional" is from 1896.

shaman --- 1698, "priest of the Ural-Altaic peoples," probably via Ger. Schamane, from Rus. shaman, from Tungus shaman, which is perhaps from Chinese sha men "Buddhist monk," from Prakrit samaya-, from Skt. sramana-s "Buddhist ascetic."

shamble (v.) --- to walk with a shuffling gait, 1681, from an adj. meaning "ungainly, awkward" (1607), from shamble (n.) "table, bench" (see shambles) perhaps on the notion of the splayed legs of bench, or the way a worker sits astride it. Cf. Fr. bancal "bow-legged, wobbly" (of furniture), prop. "bench-legged," from banc "bench."

shambles --- 1477, "meat or fish market," from schamil "table, stall for vending" (c.1305), from O.E. scomul, sceamel "stool, footstool, table for vending," an early W.Gmc. borrowing (cf. O.S. skamel, M.Du. schamel, O.H.G. scamel, Ger. schemel) from L. scamillus "low stool," ultimately a dim. of scamnum "stool, bench," from PIE base *skabh- "to prop up, support." In Eng., sense evolved to "slaughterhouse" (1548), "place of butchery" (1593), and "confusion, mess" (1901).

shame (n.) --- O.E. sceamu, sceomu "feeling of guilt or disgrace," from P.Gmc. *skamo (cf. O.S. skama, O.N. skömm, Swed. skam, O.Fris. scome, Du. schaamte, O.H.G. scama, Ger. Scham), probably from PIE *skem-, from *kem- "to cover" (covering oneself being a common expression of shame). An O.N. word for it was kinnroði, lit. "cheek-redness," hence, "blush of shame." Gk. distinguished shame in the bad sense of "disgrace, dishonor" (aiskhyne) from shame in the good sense of "modesty, bashfulness" (aidos). The verb is O.E. sceamian (cf. Ger. schämen sich).

shamefaced --- 1555, "modest, bashful," folk etymology alteration of shamefast, from O.E. scamfæst "bashful," lit. "restrained by shame," or else "firm in modesty," from shame + -fæst, adjectival suffix (see fast (adj.)).

shammy --- 1651, phonetic spelling of chamois.

shampoo (v.) --- 1762, "to massage," from Anglo-Indian shampoo, from Hindi champo, imperative of champna "to press, knead the muscles," perhaps from Skt. capayati "pounds, kneads." Meaning "wash the hair" first recorded 1860; extended 1954 to carpets, upholstery, etc. The noun meaning "soap for shampooing" first recorded 1866.

shamrock --- 1571, from Ir. seamrog, dim. of seamar "clover."

shamus --- police officer, detective, 1925, probably from Yiddish, lit. "sexton of a synagogue," from Heb. shamash "servant;" influenced by Celt. Seamus "James," as a typical name for an Irish cop.

shandy --- mix of beer and fizzy lemonade, 1888, shortening of shandygaff (1853), of unknown origin.

shanghai --- 1854, Amer.Eng., "to drug a man unconscious and ship him as a sailor," from the practice of kidnapping to fill the crews of ships making extended voyages, such as to the Chinese seaport of Shanghai; lit. "by the sea," from Shang "on, above" + hai "sea."

Shangri La --- imaginary earthly paradise, 1938, from Shangri La, name of Tibetan utopia in James Hilton's novel "Lost Horizon" (1933). In Tibetan, la means "mountain pass."

shank --- O.E. sceanca "leg, shank, shinbone," from P.Gmc. *skankon- (cf. M.L.G. schenke, Ger. schenkel "shank, leg"), perhaps lit. "that which bends," from PIE base *skeng- "crooked" (cf. O.N. skakkr "wry, distorted," Gk. skazein "to limp"). Specifically, the part of the leg from the knee to the ankle. Shank's mare "one's own legs as a means of transportation" is attested from 1774. The verb, originally in golf, meaning "to strike (the ball) with the heel of the club" is recorded from 1927.

shantung --- coarse silk, 1882, from Shantung province, in China, where the fabric was made.

shanty (1) --- rough cabin, 1820, from Fr. Canadian chantier "lumberjack's headquarters," in Fr., "timberyard, dock," from O.Fr. chantier "gantry," from L. cantherius "rafter, frame" (see gantry). Shanty-town is first recorded 1876; Shanty Irish is from 1928 (title of a book by Jim Tully).

shanty (2) --- sea song, 1867, alternate spelling of chanty, from Fr. chantez, imper. of chanter "to sing" (see chant).

shape (n.) --- O.E. gesceap "creation, form, destiny," from root of shape (v.)). Meaning "contours of the body" is attested from c.1393. Meaning "condition, state" is first recorded 1865, Amer.Eng. In M.E., the word also had a sense of "a woman's private parts." Shapely "well-formed" is recorded from 1382.

shape (v.) --- O.E. scapan, pp. of scieppan "to create, form, destine," from P.Gmc. *skapjanan "create, ordain" (cf. O.N. skapa, Dan. skabe, O.Fris. skeppa, O.H.G. scaffan, Ger. schaffen), from PIE base *(s)kep- "to cut, to scrape, to hack" (see shave), which acquired broad technical senses and in Gmc. a specific sense of "to create." O.E. scieppan survived into M.E. as shippen, but shape emerged as a regular verb (with pt. shaped) by 1500s. The old past participle form shapen survives in misshapen. Phrase Shape up (v.) is attested from 1865 as "progress;" from 1938 as "reform;" shape up or ship out is attested from 1956, originally U.S. military slang, with the sense being "do right or get shipped up to active duty."

shard --- O.E. sceard "fragment, gap," from P.Gmc. *skardas, a pp. from the root of O.E. sceran "to cut" (see shear). Cf. Du. schaard "a flaw, a fragment," Ger. Scharte "a notch," Dan. skaar "chink, potsherd." Meaning "fragment of broken earthenware" developed in late O.E. Fr. écharde "prickle, splinter" is a Gmc. loan-word.

share (n.1) --- portion, O.E. scearu "a cutting, shearing, division," related to sceran "to cut," from P.Gmc. *skaro- (cf. O.H.G. scara "troop, share of forced labor," Ger. Schar "troop, band," prop. "a part of an army," O.N. skör "rim"), from PIE base *sker- "to cut" (see shear). Meaning "part of the capital of a joint stock company" is first attested 1601. Shareholder first attested 1828. To share-crop is first recorded 1867.

share (n.2) --- iron blade of a plow, O.E. scear, scær "plowshare," prop. "that which cuts," from P.Gmc. *skar- (cf. O.Fris. skere, M.L.G. schar, O.H.G. scar, Ger. Schar, Du. ploegschaar, M.H.G. pfluocschar), from PIE base *(s)ker- "to cut" (see shear).

share (v.) --- 1586, to apportion to someone as his share," from share (n.1). Meaning "to divide one's own and give part to others" is recorded from 1592.

sharia --- Islamic religious law, 1855, from Arabic shari'ah "the revealed law," from shar' "revelation."

sharif --- 1560, shereef, from Arabic sharif "noble, glorious," from sharafa "to be exalted." A descendant of Muhammad through his daughter Fatima.

shark --- 1569, of uncertain origin; apparently the word and the first specimen were brought to London by Capt. John Hawkins's second expedition (landed 1565; see Hakluyt).

Sharon --- fem. proper name; name of the fertile coastal plain between Jaffa and Mount Carmel, from Heb., aphetic for yesharon, prop. "the Plain," from stem of yashar "was straight, was even" (cf. Heb. mishor "level land, plain").

sharp (adj.) --- O.E. scearp "cutting, keen, sharp," from P.Gmc. *skarpaz, lit. "cutting" (cf. O.S. scarp O.N. skarpr O.Fris. skerp Du. scherp Ger. scharf "sharp"), from PIE *(s)ker- "cut" (cf. Lett. skarbs "sharp," M.Ir. cerb "cutting;" see shear). The fig. meaning "acute or penetrating in intellect or perception" is from O.E. The meaning "promptly" is first attested 1840. The musical meaning "half step above a given tone" is from 1576. Phrase sharp as a tack first recorded 1912 (sharp as a needle has been around since O.E.).

sharp (n.) --- a cheat at games, 1797, short for sharper (1681), probably a variant of sharker (see shark). Meaning "expert, connoisseur" is attested friom 1840, and likely is from sharp (adj.).

Sharps --- type of breech-loading single-shot rifle, 1850, from J. Christian Sharps (1811-74), U.S. gunsmith.

sharpshooter --- 1802, transl. of Ger. Scharfschütze.

shatter --- c.1330, probably a variant of M.E. scateren (see scatter). Cf. O.Du. schetteren Low Ger. schateren.

shave (n.) --- 1604, "something shaved off;" from shave (v.); O.E. sceafa meant "tool for shaving." Meaning "a grazing touch" is recorded from 1834. Shaver "one who shaves" is recorded from c.1425; sense of "fellow, chap" is slang from 1592; phrase a close shave is from 1856, on notion of "a slight, grazing touch."

shave (v.) --- O.E. sceafan "to scrape, shave, polish," from P.Gmc. *skabanan (cf. O.N. skafa, M.Du. scaven, Ger. schaben, Goth. skaban), from PIE *skabh-, collateral form of base *(s)kep- "to cut, to scrape, to hack" (cf. Gk. skaptein "to dig," L. scabere "to scratch, scrape;" see shear). Original strong verb status is preserved in past tense form shaven. Specifically in ref. to cutting the hair close from c.1250. Fig. sense of "to strip (someone) of money or possessions" is attested from c.1399.

Shavian --- 1903, "in the style or manner of George Bernard Shaw" (1856-1950). An earlier form was Shawian (1894).

shawl --- 1662, originally of a type of scarf worn in Asia, from Urdu and other Indian languages, from Pers. shal, sometimes said to be named for Shaliat, town in India where it was first manufactured. Cf. Fr. châle, Sp. chal, It. scialle, Ger. Shawl (from Eng.), Rus. shal, all ult. from the same source. As the name of an article of clothing worn by Western women, it is recorded from 1767.

shawm --- medieval oboe-like instrument, c.1350, schalmeis (pl.), also schallemele (1390), from O.Fr. chalemie, chalemel, from L.L. calamellus, lit. "a small reed," dim. of L. calamus "reed," from Gk. kalamos. Mistaken as a plural and trimmed of its "-s" ending from c.1450.

Shawnee --- Algonquian people, probably originally from what is now southern Ohio, 1674, from Munsee sawanow, from Shawnee /ša:wanwa/, the people's self-designation, lit. "person of the south."

shay --- 1717, back-formation from chaise (q.v.) mistaken as a plural.

shazam --- invented word from "Captain Marvel" comics, 1940.

she --- c.1154, probably evolved from O.E. seo, sio (acc. sie), fem. of demonstrative pronoun se "the." The O.E. word for "she" was heo, hio, however by 13c. the pronunciation of this had converged by phonetic evolution with he "he," so the fem. demonstrative pronoun probably was used in its place (cf. similar development in Du. zij, Ger. sie, Gk. he, etc.). The original h- survives in her. A relic of the O.E. pronoun is in Manchester-area dial. oo "she." She-devil "difficult woman" first recorded 1840.

sheaf --- O.E. sceaf "sheaf of corn," from P.Gmc. *skaubaz (cf. M.Du. scoof, O.H.G. scoub, Ger. Schaub "sheaf;" O.N. skauf "fox's tail;" Goth. skuft "hair on the head," Ger. Schopf "tuft"). Also used in M.E. for "two dozen arrows."

shear (v.) --- O.E. sceran, scieran (class IV strong verb; past tense scear, pp. scoren), from P.Gmc. *sker- "to cut" (cf. O.N., O.Fris. skera, Du. scheren, Ger. scheren "to shear"), from PIE *(s)ker- "to cut, to scrape, to hack" (cf. Skt. krnati "hurts, wounds, kills," krntati "cuts;" Hittite karsh- "to cut off;" Gk. keirein "to cut, shear;" Lith. skiriu "to separate;" O.Ir. scaraim "I separate;" Welsh ysgar "to separate," ysgyr "fragment").

shears --- large scissors, O.E. sceara (pl.), from P.Gmc. *skær-; see shear. In 17c., also "a device for raising the masts of ships" (1625).

sheath --- O.E. sceað, scæð, from P.Gmc. *skaithiz (cf. O.S. scethia, O.N. skeiðir (pl.), O.Fris. skethe, M.Du. schede, Du. schede, O.H.G. skaida, Ger. scheide "scabbard"), possibly from base *skaith "divide, split" (see shed (v.)) on notion of a split stick with the sword blade inserted. Meaning "condom" is recorded from 1861; sense of "close-fitting dress or skirt" is attested from 1904.

sheathe (v.) --- c.1400, "to furnish (a sword, etc.) with a sheath," from sheath (q.v.); meaning "to put (a sword, etc.) in a sheath" is attested from c.1430.

shebang --- 1862, "hut, shed, shelter," perhaps an alteration of shebeen (q.v.). Phrase the whole shebang first recorded 1869, but relation to the earlier use of the word is obscure. Either or both senses may also be mangled pronunciations of Fr. char-à-banc, a bus-like wagon with many seats.

shebeen --- cabin where unlicensed liquor is sold and drunk, c.1787, chiefly in Ireland and Scotland, from Ir. seibin "small mug," also "bad ale," dim. of seibe "mug, bottle, liquid measure."

shed (n.) --- building for storage, 1481, shadde, possibly a variant of shade (q.v.).

shed (v.) --- cast off, O.E. sceadan, scadan "to divide, separate," strong verb (pt. scead, pp. sceadan), from P.Gmc. *skaithanan (cf. O.S. skethan, O.Fris. sketha, M.Du. sceiden, Du. scheiden, O.H.G. sceidan, Ger. scheiden, Goth. skaidan), from *skaith "divide, split," probably related to PIE base *skei- "to cut, separate, divide, part, split" (cf. Skt. chid-, Gk. skhizein, L. scindere "to split;" Lith. skedzu "I make thin, separate, divide;" O.Ir. scian "knife;" Welsh chwydu "to break open"). In ref. to animals, "to lose hair, feathers, etc." recorded from 1510.

sheela-na-gig --- 1846, from Ir. Sile na gcioch, lit. "Julia of the breasts." According to modern folklorists, not a Celtic survival, but originating rather in the Romanesque churches of France and northern Spain. Their theories that it is meant to degrade the female body and discourage sexuality, or that it is meant as an apotropaic gesture to ward off the devil, are not entirely convincing.

sheen --- 1602 (first attested in "Hamlet" iii.2), noun use of adj. sheene "beautiful, bright," from O.E. scene, from P.Gmc. *skauniz (cf. O.H.G. skoni, Ger. schön, O.Fris. skene, M.Du. scone, Du. schoon, Goth. skaunja "beautiful"), from PIE base *skeue- "to pay attention, perceive" (see caveat).

sheeney --- vulgar term of abuse, "a Jew," 1816, of unknown origin; perhaps related to Rus. zhid, Pol., Czech zid "a Jew." Used before c.1870 by Jews and Gentiles without intent of insult.

sheep --- O.E. sceap, scep, from W.Gmc. *skæpan (cf. O.S. scap, O.Fris. skep, M.L.G. schap, M.Du. scaep, Du. schaap, O.H.G. scaf, Ger. Schaf), of unknown origin. Not found in Scand. or Goth., and with no known cognates outside Gmc. The more usual I.E. word for the animal is represented by ewe. As a type of timidity, from O.E.; the meaning "stupid, timid person" is attested from 1542. The image of the wolf in sheep's clothing was in O.E. (from Matt. vii.15); that of separating the sheep from the goats is from Matt. xxv.33. To count sheep in a bid to induce sleep is recorded from 1854. Sheep's eyes "loving looks" is attested from 1529 (cf. W.Fris. skiepseach, Du. schaapsoog, Ger. Schafsauge).

sheepish --- c.1200, "resembling a sheep in some characteristic," from sheep. The sense of "bashful" first is recorded 1693.

sheepshank --- 1675, "leg of a sheep," from sheep + shank. Attested earlier in transf. sense of "type of sailor's knot used to shorten a rope without cutting it" (1627).

sheepskin --- c.1200, "the skin of a sheep," from sheep + skin (n.). Meaning "diploma" dates from 1804; so called because formerly made of sheepskin parchment.

sheer --- c.1205, "exempt, free from guilt," later schiere "thin, sparse" (c.1400), from O.E. scir "bright, clear," influenced by O.N. cognate scær "bright, clean, pure," from P.Gmc. *skairijaz (cf. O.S. skiri, O.Fris. skire, Ger. schier, Goth. skeirs "clean, pure"), perhaps from PIE base *skai- "to shine" (see shine). Sense of "absolute, utter" (sheer nonsense) developed 1583; that of "very steep" (sheer cliff) is first recorded 1800.