TheScullster wrote:
"The Natural Philosopher" wrote
The Medway Handyman wrote:
Three poles in a triangle, one longer that the other two, used with a
block & tackle attached to the longer one?
Its on the tip of my tongue!
sheerlegs?
Apparently spelt shear legs.
Not quite sure why, when the legs are in compression!
See http://www.hss.com/g/69310/500kg-Shearlegs.html for details.
The word originally comes from "sheer" = steep.
"Shearlegs" is simply a spelling error. Since it's a common one, the
dictionaries feel obliged to record it (as they also record "sheering"
sheep) but being in a dictionary don't make it right.
--
Ian White