steam
- water in the form of an invisible gas or vapor.
- water changed to this form by boiling, extensively used for the generation of mechanical power, for heating purposes, etc.
- the mist formed when the gas or vapor from boiling water condenses in the air.
- an exhalation of a vapor or mist.
- Informal. power or energy.
- to emit or give off steam or vapor.
- to rise or pass off in the form of steam or vapor.
- to become covered with condensed steam, as a window or other surface (often followed by up).
- to generate or produce steam, as in a boiler.
- to move or travel by the agency of steam.
- to move rapidly or evenly: He steamed out of the room.
- Informal. to be angry or show anger: Fans are still steaming from Monday night’s sloppy 5-4 loss.
- to expose to or treat with steam, as in order to heat, cook, soften, renovate, or the like.
- to emit or exhale (steam or vapor).
- Informal. to cause to become irked or angry (often followed by up).
- to convey by the agency of steam: to steam the ship safely into port.
- heated by or heating with steam: a steam radiator.
- propelled by or propelling with a steam engine.
- operated by steam.
- conducting steam: a steam line.
- bathed with or affected by steam.
- of or relating to steam.
- blow/let off steam, Informal. to give vent to one's repressed emotions, especially by talking or behaving in an unrestrained manner: Don't take her remarks too seriously—she was just blowing off steam.
Origin of steam
Related Words for steam
vigor, strength, force, beef, power, sinew, vim, puissance, potency, muscle, mightExamples from the Web for steam
Contemporary Examples of steam
Parenting a kid that can get from place to place under his own steam is a whole new ballgame.
Kids Eat the Darndest Things: Laundry Pods, Teething Necklaces, and More Of The Weirdest Stuff Sending Kids to the E.R.Russell Saunders
November 14, 2014
Why they do it who knows, but the Tragic Jen narrative has never run out of steam, even with the presence of the .
Angelina Jolie and Brad Pitt Got Married and We’re Worried About Jennifer AnistonKevin Fallon, Tim Teeman
August 28, 2014
I now know this was a conduction-style vaporizer, which requires a chamber to hold the steam.
The air around the grill clouds with the steam of sizzling onions.
The show was an instant hit and a cash cow for Walters and ABC, but lately the franchise has been running out of steam.
Historical Examples of steam
It was imagined that it was necessary to expel it by means of heat or steam.
The sound was exactly that of steam roaring from a locomotive's safety valve.
The Leopard WomanStewart Edward White
A steam dahabeah is what we want, so we won't be at the mercy of the wind.
It Happened in EgyptC. N. Williamson
There were no passengers on board the steam dahabeah Mamoudieh.
It Happened in EgyptC. N. Williamson
The atmosphere was stifling as a night in the rains by reason of the steam and the crowd.
American NotesRudyard Kipling
steam
- the gas or vapour into which water is changed when boiled
- the mist formed when such gas or vapour condenses in the atmosphere
- any vaporous exhalation
- informal power, energy, or speed
- get up steam
- (of a ship, etc) to work up a sufficient head of steam in a boiler to drive an engine
- informalto go quickly
- let off steam informal to release pent-up energy or emotions
- under one's own steam without the assistance of others
- Australian slang cheap wine
- (modifier) driven, operated, heated, powered, etc, by steama steam radiator
- (modifier) treated by steamsteam ironed; steam cleaning
- (modifier) jocular old-fashioned; outmodedsteam radio
- to emit or be emitted as steam
- (intr) to generate steam, as a boiler, etc
- (intr) to move or travel by steam power, as a ship, etc
- (intr) informal to proceed quickly and sometimes forcefully
- to cook or be cooked in steam
- (tr) to treat with steam or apply steam to, as in cleaning, pressing clothes, etc
Word Origin for steam
Word Origin and History for steam
Old English steam "vapor, fume," from Proto-Germanic *staumaz (cf. Dutch stoom), of unknown origin. Steam age first attested 1941. Steam heat as a method of temperature control recorded from 1904.
Old English stemen, stymen "to emit a scent or odor," from the root of steam (n.). Slang meaning "to make angry" is from 1922. Related: Steamed; steaming.
steam
- Water in its gaseous state, especially at a temperature above the boiling point of water (above 100°C, or 212°F, at sea level). See Note at vapor.
- A mist of condensed water vapor.
Idioms and Phrases with steam
steam
see blow off steam; full speed (steam) ahead; get up steam; run out of steam; under one's own steam.