live steam
Americannoun
-
steam direct from the boiler and at full pressure, ready for use in work.
-
steam that has performed no work or only part of its work.
noun
Etymology
Origin of live steam
An Americanism dating back to 1870–75
Example Sentences
Examples are provided to illustrate real-world usage of words in context. Any opinions expressed do not reflect the views of Dictionary.com.
Huge projectors show a live steam from mission control.
From Washington Post
The men used jets of live steam to thaw dirt and prevent newly poured cement from freezing.
From Literature
Double ported valves are employed in some cases to increase the admission of live steam to the cylinder, and in others to increase the exhaust openings also.
From Project Gutenberg
Dove gray particles clung to the sewer opening beneath—particles of some sort of paint that was soluble in water or perhaps live steam.
From Project Gutenberg
Straightway a violent subaqueous crackling announced that live steam from the boilers was performing its allotted task of taking the chill off.
From Project Gutenberg
Definitions and idiom definitions from Dictionary.com Unabridged, based on the Random House Unabridged Dictionary, © Random House, Inc. 2023
Idioms from The American Heritage® Idioms Dictionary copyright © 2002, 2001, 1995 by Houghton Mifflin Harcourt Publishing Company. Published by Houghton Mifflin Harcourt Publishing Company.