steam shovel

noun

1. a machine for digging or excavating, operated by its own engine and boiler.

steam-shovel

noun

1. a steam-driven mechanical excavator, esp one having a large bucket or grab on a beam slung from a revolving jib

Word History and Origins

Origin of steam-shovel¹

An Americanism dating back to 1875–80

Example Sentences

Dear Carolyn: A dear friend is a steam-shovel mom.

From Washington Post

The fact is, they do steam-shovel work like data processing and complex calculations infinitely better and faster than humans do.

From Time

Iron ore was being taken away for the skips with one of those spider-like mechanisms that combine crane, derrick, and steam-shovel.

From Project Gutenberg

He's a regular little steam-shovel.

From Project Gutenberg

They have no resource but unskilled labor of the lowest and cheapest grade; white competition in agriculture and domestic service, machinery in other fields, such as the scrape which has superseded the dump-cart, the improved steam-shovel and method of handling construction trains, and the steam laundry, steadily curtailing that resource; a slothful, improvident, and wasteful disposition curtailing it still further.

From Project Gutenberg