This is the 14963rd most frequent German word.
schier
"Schier" means "almost" or "purely" in English, depending on context.
In this context, 'schier' is used to convey 'seemingly', giving a sense of the perception of endlessness.
Die Arbeit war schier unendlich.
The work was seemingly endless.
Here, 'schier' implies 'almost', emphasizing the difficulty implied.
Es schien schier unmöglich, den Gipfel zu erreichen.
It seemed almost impossible to reach the summit.
The word 'schier' is used here to indicate 'almost' or 'nearly', describing the extent of being overwhelmed.