1363
steering wheel
(=tried to lose my anger) by shouting at the dog. | The children
are letting off steam (=running about and playing) in the
garden. | By the end of the meeting she had really built up a
head of steam. (=she was very angry)
steam² v 1 [I] to give off steam, especially when very hot: a
mug of steaming hot coffee 2 [I+adv/prep] to travel by steam
power: The ship steamed into the harbour. 3 [T] to cook by
heating with steam: a steamed pudding | steamed rice → see
COOK (USAGE) 4 [T+obj+adj/adv/prep] to use steam on, especially
for unsticking or softening: He steamed the letter open. | She
steamed the stamp off the envelope.
steam up phr v [I;T(= steam sthg. ⇆ up)] to cover or be covered
with steam: His glasses (got) steamed up when he came into
the warm room. → see also STEAMED-UP
steam³ adj [A no comp.] 1 powered by steam under pressure: a
steam engine/train 2 BrE humor old-fashioned: a steam radio
steam·boat /'sti:mbəut/ n a steam-powered boat made for
going on rivers and along coasts
steamed-up adj [F] infml excited and angry: Don't get so
steamed up about it - it's really not important.
steam engine n an engine powered by steam especially in
a train
steam·er /'sti:mər/ n 1 a STEAMSHIP → see also PADDLE
STEAMER 2 a container in which one cooks food with
steam 3 a person taking part in the action of STEAMING
steam·ing /'sti:mɪŋ/ n [U] AmE slang the criminal activity of
running with a group of others through a crowded street,
shop, or train and stealing money and valuable things from
the people there
steam iron n an electric iron that holds water and makes
steam which goes into the clothes for easier pressing
steam·roll /'sti:mrəul/ n AmE for STEAMROLLER
steam·roll·er¹ /'sti:m,rəulər/ n 1 a heavy steam-powered
machine with very wide wheels for driving over and flatten-
ing road surfaces 2 infml a force that crushes all opposition
steamroller² || also steamroll AmE — v [T] infml to crush or
force using very great power or pressure: He steamrollered his
bill through Parliament against fierce opposition.
steamship
steam·ship /'sti:m,ʃip/ n a large ship driven by steam
power
steam shovel n AmE for EXCAVATOR
steed /sti:d/ n usually poet a horse, especially for riding: his
trusty steed
Steed, John the main character in the UK television series
the AVENGERS played by Patrick McNee. Steed was known
for being very clever, wearing a suit and BOWLER hat, and
carrying an umbrella.
teel¹ /sti:l/ n [U] 1 a metal consisting of iron in a hard
strong form containing some CARBON and sometimes other
metals, and used in building materials, cutting tools,
machines etc: a steel sword blade | a set of stainless steel
knives and forks | the steel industry (=industry making steel) |
(fig.) You must have nerves of steel (=very strong nerves) to be
able to climb up that tall chimney. 2 lit fighting weapons:
Let's give the enemy a taste of our steel. → see also COLD
STEEL
teel² v [T] to make (especially oneself) hard, unfeeling, or
determined: [+obj+to-v] He steeled himself to tell her about her
father's death.
teel, Dan·i·elle /,dæni'el/ (1947-) a US writer of popular
NOVELS, including The Wedding and Bittersweet. She has
written more than 60 books, most of which are ROMANCES.
'steel band n [C+sing./pl. v] a band of a type originally heard
in the West Indies, playing drums cut from metal oil barrels
to sound particular notes
,steel 'drum n a type of drum from the West Indies, made
from oil BARRELS, which you hit in different areas to produce
different musical sounds
Steele, Sir Richard /sti:l/ (1672-1729) an Irish writer who
started the magazine The TATLER. His friend Joseph ADDISON
also wrote articles for it.
,steel guitar also pedal steel guitar n a musical instru-
ment with 10 strings that is played using a steel bar and a
PEDAL (=foot-operated bar) to produce different notes. It is
very commonly heard in country and western music.
'steel mill n a factory where steel is made
,steel 'wool n [U] material that is a mass of fine sharp-edged
steel threads used for rubbing a surface smooth, removing
paint etc → compare WIRE WOOL
steel-works /'sti:lwɜ:ks||-wɜ:rks/ n pl. steelworks [C+sing./
pl. v] a factory where steel is made —steelworker n: The
steelworkers have voted against strike action.
steel-y /'sti:li/ adj like steel; hard, cold, strong, or bright: He
fixed her with a steely glare. | steely blue eyes
steep¹ /sti:p/ adj 1 rising or falling quickly or at a large
angle: This hill's too steep to ride up on a bicycle. | a steep rise
in prices/fall in living standards 2 infml (of a demand or
especially a price) unreasonable; too much: He's asking £500
for his old car, which I think is a bit steep! —ly adv: The rocks
rose steeply out of the river. —ness n [U]
steep² v [I;T(ɪn)] 1 to (let) stay in a liquid, for softening,
cleaning, bringing out a taste etc; SOAK: Steep the stained
cloth in bleach overnight. | The shirts are steeping. 2 steeped
in thoroughly filled or familiar with: a very ancient building
that is steeped in history
steep·en /'sti:pən/ v [I;T] to become or make steeper: The
slope steepened as we went higher.
stee·ple /'sti:pəl/ n a church tower with a top part (SPIRE)
rising to a high sharp point
stee·ple-chase /'sti:pl,tʃeɪs/ n 1 a horse race over a
course of more than two miles with various jumps to be
made → compare FLAT RACING 2 a running race with jumps,
especially a 3000-metre race with 35 jumps to be made
during the run
stee·ple-jack /'sti:pl,dʒæk/ n a person who works on
towers, tall chimneys, steeples etc, repairing them, painting
them etc
steer¹ /stɪər/ v 1 [I;T] to make (especially a boat or road
vehicle) go in a particular direction: She steered with one
hand while trying to adjust the rear-view mirror with the
other. | He steered the boat carefully between the rocks. | (fig.) I
steered the visitors towards the garden. | (fig.) She tried to steer
the conversation away from such dangerous topics. | (fig.)
steering a bill through Parliament 2 [I+adv/prep;T+obj+adv/prep]
to follow or change to (a particular course), especially in a
boat: We turned about and steered (a course) for
Port-of-Spain. | to steer a middle course between two
extremes 3 [I+adv/prep] (of a boat or vehicle) to act when one
turns its steering wheel: How does your car steer? Does it take
the corners well? 4 steer clear (of) infml to keep away (from);
avoid: I should steer clear of the fish stew; it's not very nice!
You can steer ships, cars, lorries, etc, and also
such things as cycles and sledges but not aircraft; for
these, the usual verbs are fly and pilot. → see also BOAT
(USAGE), CAR (USAGE), DRIVE (USAGE)
steer² n a young male animal of the cattle family with its sex
organs removed, kept for meat → compare BULLOCK, HEIFER,
OX
steer·age /'stɪərɪdʒ/ n [U] (especially in former times) the
part of a passenger ship for those with the cheapest tickets:
We travelled (in the) steerage. | steerage passengers
'steering com,mittee n [C+sing./pl. v] a committee that
guides or directs a particular piece of activity
'steering wheel n a wheel which one turns to make a
vehicle or ship turn left or right → see picture at CAR