steer

¹

[steer]

verb (used with object)

1. to guide the course of (something in motion) by a rudder, helm, wheel, etc..

   to steer a bicycle.

2. to follow or pursue (a particular course).

3. to direct the course of; guide.

   I can steer you to the best restaurant in town.

verb (used without object)

1. to direct the course of a vessel, vehicle, airplane, or the like, by the use of a rudder or other means.

2. to pursue a course of action.

3. (of a vessel, vehicle, airplane, etc.) to be steered or guided in a particular direction or manner.

noun

1. Informal.,  a suggestion about a course of action; tip.

   He got a good steer about finding the right job.

steer

²

[steer]

noun

plural

steers ,

plural

steer .

1. a male bovine that is castrated before sexual maturity, especially one raised for beef.

steer

³

[steer]

verb (used with or without object)

British Dialect.

1. stir.

steer

¹

/ stɪə /

verb

1. to direct the course of (a vehicle or vessel) with a steering wheel, rudder, etc

2. (tr) to guide with tuition

   his teachers steered him through his exams

3. (tr) to direct the movements or course of (a person, conversation, etc)

4. to pursue (a specified course)

5. (intr) (of a vessel, vehicle, etc) to admit of being guided in a specified fashion

   this boat does not steer properly

6. to keep away from; shun

noun

1. information; guidance (esp in the phrase a bum steer )

steer

²

/ stɪə /

noun

1. a castrated male ox or bull; bullock

Other Word Forms

• steerable adjective
• steerer noun
• steerability noun
• unsteerable adjective

Word History and Origins

Origin of steer¹

First recorded before 900; Middle English steren, stere, stieren, Old English stēoran, stēran, stíoran, stýran, akin to stēor, stýr “steering, guidance”; cognate with German steuern, Old Norse stȳra, Gothic stiurjan

Origin of steer²

First recorded before 900; Middle English ster(e), Old English stēor “young bull or ox,” cognate with Dutch, German Stier, Old Norse stjōrr, Gothic stiur

Word History and Origins

Origin of steer¹

Old English stieran; related to Old Frisian stiūra, Old Norse stӯra, German stevern; see _starboard , _stern ²

Origin of steer²

Old English stēor; related to Old Norse stjōrr, Gothic stiur, Old High German stior, Middle Dutch stēr

Idioms and Phrases

Idioms

1. steer clear of, to stay away from purposely; avoid.

   She steered clear of any deep emotional involvements.

More idioms and phrases containing steer

• bum steer

Example Sentences

The high was weaker and displaced further east which resulted in both hurricanes being steered towards Bermuda and the mid-Atlantic rather than towards Florida, normally one of the hardest hit states during hurricane season.

Read more on BBC

Nezi is currently unemployed after spending years on an assembly line building steering wheels for Ford vehicles.

Read more on Salon

And many worry that if the Arab countries steer the peace process, Sudan's destination will be to become an Arab dependency.

Read more on BBC

By leveraging the threat of costly and unpredictable litigation, dominant firms burden their competitors financially and create uncertainty that undermines customer confidence in those rivals—ultimately steering business and market share toward themselves.

Read more on The Wall Street Journal

He then joined the massive Canadian multinational firm Brookfield, steering private capital to aid climate action.

Read more on Barron's

Related Words

• drive 
• escort 
• govern 
• herd 
• shepherd