grass shears: meaning, definition, pronunciation and examples
C1Informal, Technical (Gardening)
Quick answer
What does “grass shears” mean?
A hand tool, typically with two long handles and opposing blades, used for cutting grass, trimming edges, or pruning small plants.
Audio
Pronunciation
Definition
Meaning and Definition
A hand tool, typically with two long handles and opposing blades, used for cutting grass, trimming edges, or pruning small plants.
Can refer more broadly to any manual gardening scissors designed for cutting grass, including one-handed models. Sometimes used metaphorically to denote meticulous or small-scale trimming.
Dialectal Variation
British vs American Usage
Differences
No significant lexical differences. Spelling of related terms may differ (e.g., 'gardening' vs. 'yard work').
Connotations
In both varieties, strongly associated with domestic gardening and lawn care.
Frequency
Equally common in contexts related to gardening/tool use.
Grammar
How to Use “grass shears” in a Sentence
Use [grass shears] to VERB (trim/cut)VERB (Sharpen/Clean) the [grass shears]PREP (with) [grass shears]Vocabulary
Collocations
Examples
Examples of “grass shears” in a Sentence
verb
British English
- I need to grass-shear the edges by the patio.
American English
- He grass-sheared the overgrown patch along the fence.
adverb
British English
- He trimmed the border grass-shearingly slowly.
American English
- She worked grass-shearingly precise along the edge.
adjective
British English
- The grass-shearing task was surprisingly meditative.
American English
- A grass-shearing session is on my weekend chore list.
Usage
Meaning in Context
Business
Rare, except in retail/ gardening supply contexts (e.g., 'Our range includes professional grass shears').
Academic
Very rare, limited to specific horticultural or design studies.
Everyday
Common in discussions about home garden maintenance and DIY.
Technical
Standard term in horticulture, landscaping, and tool manufacturing.
Vocabulary
Synonyms of “grass shears”
Strong
Neutral
Weak
Vocabulary
Antonyms of “grass shears”
Watch out
Common Mistakes When Using “grass shears”
- Using 'grass shear' (singular) – it is almost always plural.
- Confusing with 'shears of grass' (a possible poetic phrase, not a tool).
FAQ
Frequently Asked Questions
Grass shears are designed for cutting grass and light trimming, often with long handles for use while standing. Pruning shears (secateurs) are for cutting stems and branches of plants and shrubs, usually operated with one hand.
It's not recommended. Grass shears are for grass and soft growth. Thick weeds can damage the blades or strain the mechanism. Use loppers or a weed cutter instead.
Most standard grass shears are ambidextrous. However, some specialised models, particularly one-handed versions, may be designed for a specific hand.
Clean blades after use, dry them to prevent rust, oil the pivot point regularly, and sharpen the blades with a file when they become dull. Store in a dry place.
A hand tool, typically with two long handles and opposing blades, used for cutting grass, trimming edges, or pruning small plants.
Grass shears is usually informal, technical (gardening) in register.
Grass shears: in British English it is pronounced /ɡrɑːs ʃɪəz/, and in American English it is pronounced /ɡræs ʃɪrz/. Tap the audio buttons above to hear it.
Phrases
Idioms & Phrases
- “"Don't use a sledgehammer to crack a nut; sometimes all you need are grass shears." (Metaphor for appropriate, small-scale tools)”
Learning
Memory Aids
Mnemonic
Imagine SHEARING the GRASS neatly by hand. The two S's in 'grass shears' stand for the two long handles.
Conceptual Metaphor
PRECISION IS MANUAL CUTTING (vs. power tool brutality).
Practice
Quiz
What is the primary function of grass shears?