shorn

Shorn is the past participle of the verb shear and is used as an adjective in modern English. The primary sense denotes hair, wool, or fleece that has been cut away. It is commonly used to describe sheep after annual shearing, but can also refer to people or objects that have had their hair removed or shaved, as in “a shorn head” or “shorn of her hair.”

Figurative usage: The phrase “shorn of” is a fixed expression meaning deprived of something or stripped of it, such as “shorn of their rights” or “shorn of resources.” It is widely used in journalism, politics, and literature to indicate loss or deprivation.

Origin and usage: The word derives from the verb shear, with the past participle form becoming “shorn” in Middle English and surviving in modern English. In technical contexts, “shear” can refer to the removal of wool or fur in agriculture, and in metaphorical contexts it remains common in formal prose.

Related terms: Related terms include shear and shearing.