Adjacent Words

Steam definitions

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Webster's 1828 Dictionary

STEAM, n.
1. The vapor of water; or the elastic, aeriform fluid generated by heating water to the boiling point. When produced under the common atmospheric pressure, its elasticity is equivalent to the pressure, its elasticity is equivalent to the pressure of the atmosphere, and it is called low steam; but when heated in a confined state, its elastic force is rapidly augmented, and it is then called high steam. On the application of cold, steam instantly returns to the state of water, and thus forms a sudden vacuum. From this property, and from the facility with which an elastic force is generated by means of steam, this constitutes a mechanical agent at once the most powerful and the most manageable, as is seen in the vast and multiplied uses of the steam engine. Steam is invisible, and is to be distinguished from the cloud or mist which it forms in the air, that being water in a minute state of division, resulting from the condensation of steam.
2. In popular use, the mist formed by condensed vapor.
STEAM, v.i.
1. To rise or pass off in vapor by means of heat; to fume.
Let the crude humors dance in heated brass, steaming with fire intense.
2. To send off visible vapor.
Ye mists that rise from steaming lake.
3. To pass off in visible vapor.
The dissolved amber--steamed away into the air.
STEAM, v.t.
1. To exhale; to evaporate. [Not much used.]
2. To expose to steam; to apply steam to for softening, dressing or preparing; as, to steam cloth; to steam potatoes instead of boiling the; to steam food for cattle.

WordNet (r) 3.0 (2005)

n
1: water at boiling temperature diffused in the atmosphere v
1: travel by means of steam power; "The ship steamed off into the Pacific" [syn: steamer, steam]
2: emit steam; "The rain forest was literally steaming"
3: rise as vapor
4: get very angry; "her indifference to his amorous advances really steamed the young man"
5: clean by means of steaming; "steam-clean the upholstered sofa" [syn: steam, steam clean]
6: cook something by letting steam pass over it; "just steam the vegetables"

Merriam Webster's

I. noun Etymology: Middle English stem, from Old English st?am; akin to Dutch stoom steam Date: before 12th century 1. a vapor arising from a heated substance 2. a. the invisible vapor into which water is converted when heated to the boiling point b. the mist formed by the condensation on cooling of water vapor 3. a. water vapor kept under pressure so as to supply energy for heating, cooking, or mechanical work; also the power so generated b. active force ; power, momentum <got there under his own steam> <sales began to pick up steam>; also normal force <at full steam> c. pent-up emotional tension <needed to let off a little steam> 4. a. steamer 2a b. travel by or a trip in a steamer II. verb Date: 15th century transitive verb 1. to give out as fumes ; exhale 2. to apply steam to; especially to expose to the action of steam (as for softening or cooking) intransitive verb 1. to rise or pass off as vapor 2. to give off steam or vapor 3. a. to move or travel by the agency of steam b. to move or proceed with energy or force 4. to be angry ; boil <steaming over the insult>

Oxford Reference Dictionary

n. & v. --n. 1 a the gas into which water is changed by boiling, used as a source of power by virtue of its expansion of volume. b a mist of liquid particles of water produced by the condensation of this gas. 2 any similar vapour. 3 a energy or power provided by a steam engine or other machine. b colloq. power or energy generally. --v. 1 tr. a cook (food) in steam. b soften or make pliable (timber etc.) or otherwise treat with steam. 2 intr. give off steam or other vapour, esp. visibly. 3 intr. a move under steam power (the ship steamed down the river). b (foll. by ahead, away, etc.) colloq. proceed or travel fast or with vigour. 4 tr. & intr. (usu. foll. by up) a cover or become covered with condensed steam. b (as steamed up adj.) colloq. angry or excited. 5 tr. (foll. by open etc.) apply steam to the gum of (a sealed envelope) to get it open. Phrases and idioms: get up steam 1 generate enough power to work a steam engine. 2 work oneself into an energetic or angry state. let off steam relieve one's pent up feelings or energy. run out of steam lose one's impetus or energy. steam age the era when trains were drawn by steam locomotives. steam bath a room etc. filled with steam for bathing in. steam boiler a vessel (in a steam engine etc.) in which water is boiled to generate steam. steam engine 1 an engine which uses the expansion or rapid condensation of steam to generate power. 2 a locomotive powered by this. steam gauge a pressure gauge attached to a steam boiler. steam hammer a forging-hammer powered by steam. steam-heat the warmth given out by steam-heated radiators etc. steam iron an electric iron that emits steam from its flat surface, to improve its pressing ability. steam-jacket a casing for steam round a cylinder, for heating its contents. steam organ a fairground pipe-organ driven by a steam engine and played by means of a keyboard or a system of punched cards. steam power the force of steam applied to machinery etc. steam shovel an excavator powered by steam. steam-tight impervious to steam. steam train a train driven by a steam engine. steam tug a steamer for towing ships etc. steam turbine a turbine in which a high-velocity jet of steam rotates a bladed disc or drum. under one's own steam without assistance; unaided. Etymology: OE steam f. Gmc

Webster's 1913 Dictionary

Steam Steam, n. [OE. stem, steem, vapor, flame, AS. ste['a]m vapor, smoke, odor; akin to D. stoom steam, perhaps originally, a pillar, or something rising like a pillar; cf. Gr. ? to erect, ? a pillar, and E. stand.] 1. The elastic, a["e]riform fluid into which water is converted when heated to the boiling points; water in the state of vapor. 2. The mist formed by condensed vapor; visible vapor; -- so called in popular usage. 3. Any exhalation. ``A steam og rich, distilled perfumes.'' --Milton. Dry steam, steam which does not contain water held in suspension mechanically; -- sometimes applied to superheated steam. Exhaust steam. See under Exhaust. High steam, or High-pressure steam, steam of which the pressure greatly exceeds that of the atmosphere. Low steam, or Low-pressure steam, steam of which the pressure is less than, equal to, or not greatly above, that of the atmosphere. Saturated steam, steam at the temperature of the boiling point which corresponds to its pressure; -- sometimes also applied to wet steam. Superheated steam, steam heated to a temperature higher than the boiling point corresponding to its pressure. It can not exist in contact with water, nor contain water, and resembles a perfect gas; -- called also surcharged steam, anhydrous steam, and steam gas. Wet steam, steam which contains water held in suspension mechanically; -- called also misty steam. Note: Steam is often used adjectively, and in combination, to denote, produced by heat, or operated by power, derived from steam, in distinction from other sources of power; as in steam boiler or steam-boiler, steam dredger or steam-dredger, steam engine or steam-engine, steam heat, steam plow or steam-plow, etc. Steam blower. (a) A blower for producing a draught consisting of a jet or jets of steam in a chimney or under a fire. (b) A fan blower driven directly by a steam engine. Steam boiler, a boiler for producing steam. See Boiler, 3, and Note. In the illustration, the shell a of the boiler is partly in section, showing the tubes, or flues, which the hot gases, from the fire beneath the boiler, enter, after traversing the outside of the shell, and through which the gases are led to the smoke pipe d, which delivers them to the chimney; b is the manhole; c the dome; e the steam pipe; f the feed and blow-off pipe; g the safety value; hthe water gauge. Steam car, a car driven by steam power, or drawn by a locomotive. Steam carriage, a carriage upon wheels moved on common roads by steam. Steam casing. See Steam jacket, under Jacket. Steam chest, the box or chamber from which steam is distributed to the cylinder of a steam engine, steam pump, etc., and which usually contains one or more values; -- called also valve chest, and valve box. See Illust. of Slide valve, under Slide. Steam chimney, an annular chamber around the chimney of a boiler furnace, for drying steam. Steam coil, a coil of pipe, or collection of connected pipes, for containing steam; -- used for heating, drying, etc. Steam colors (Calico Printing), colors in which the chemical reaction fixed the coloring matter in the fiber is produced by steam. Steam cylinder, the cylinder of a steam engine, which contains the piston. See Illust. of Slide valve, under Slide. Steam dome (Steam Boilers), a chamber upon the top of the boiler, from which steam is conduced to the engine. See Illust. of Steam boiler, above. Steam fire engine, a fire engine consisting of a steam boiler and engine, and pump which is driven by the engine, combined and mounted on wheels. It is usually drawn by horses, but is sometimes made self-propelling. Steam fitter, a fitter of steam pipes. Steam fitting, the act or the occupation of a steam fitter; also, a pipe fitting for steam pipes. Steam gas. See Superheated steam, above. Steam gauge, an instrument for indicating the pressure of the steam in a boiler. The mercurial steam gauge is a bent tube partially filled with mercury, one end of which is connected with the boiler while the other is open to the air, so that the steam by its pressure raises the mercury in the long limb of the tume to a height proportioned to that pressure. A more common form, especially for high pressures, consists of a spring pressed upon by the steam, and connected with the pointer of a dial. The spring may be a flattened, bent tube, closed at one end, which the entering steam tends to straighten, or it may be a diaphragm of elastic metal, or a mass of confined air, etc. Steam gun, a machine or contrivance from which projectiles may be thrown by the elastic force of steam. Steam hammer, a hammer for forging, which is worked directly by steam; especially, a hammer which is guided vertically and operated by a vertical steam cylinder located directly over an anvil. In the variety known as Nasmyth's, the cylinder is fixed, and the hammer is attached to the piston rod. In that known as Condie's, the piston is fixed, and the hammer attached to the lower end of the cylinder. Steam heater. (a) A radiator heated by steam. (b) An apparatus consisting of a steam boiler, radiator, piping, and fixures for warming a house by steam. Steam jacket. See under Jacket. Steam packet, a packet or vessel propelled by steam, and running periodically between certain ports. Steam pipe, any pipe for conveying steam; specifically, a pipe through which steam is supplied to an engine. Steam plow or plough, a plow, or gang of plows, moved by a steam engine. Steam port, an opening for steam to pass through, as from the steam chest into the cylinder. Steam power, the force or energy of steam applied to produce results; power derived from a steam engine. Steam propeller. See Propeller. Steam pump, a small pumping engine operated by steam. It is usually direct-acting. Steam room (Steam Boilers), the space in the boiler above the water level, and in the dome, which contains steam. Steam table, a table on which are dishes heated by steam for keeping food warm in the carving room of a hotel, restaurant, etc. Steam trap, a self-acting device by means of which water that accumulates in a pipe or vessel containing steam will be discharged without permitting steam to escape. Steam tug, a steam vessel used in towing or propelling ships. Steam vessel, a vessel propelled by steam; a steamboat or steamship; -- a steamer. Steam whistle, an apparatus attached to a steam boiler, as of a locomotive, through which steam is rapidly discharged, producing a loud whistle which serves as a warning signal. The steam issues from a narrow annular orifice around the upper edge of the lower cup or hemisphere, striking the thin edge of the bell above it, and producing sound in the manner of an organ pipe or a common whistle.

Webster's 1913 Dictionary

Steam Steam, v. t. 1. To exhale. [Obs.] --Spenser. 2. To expose to the action of steam; to apply steam to for softening, dressing, or preparing; as, to steam wood; to steamcloth; to steam food, etc.

Webster's 1913 Dictionary

Steam Steam, v. i. [imp. & p. p. Steamed; p. pr. & vb. n. Steaming.] 1. To emit steam or vapor. My brother's ghost hangs hovering there, O'er his warm blood, that steams into the air. --Dryden. Let the crude humors dance In heated brass, steaming with fire intence. --J. Philips. 2. To rise in vapor; to issue, or pass off, as vapor. The dissolved amber . . . steamed away into the air. --Boyle. 3. To move or travel by the agency of steam. The vessel steamed out of port. --N. P. Willis. 4. To generate steam; as, the boiler steams well.

Collin's Cobuild Dictionary

(steams, steaming, steamed) Frequency: The word is one of the 3000 most common words in English. 1. Steam is the hot mist that forms when water boils. Steam vehicles and machines are operated using steam as a means of power. In an electric power plant the heat converts water into high-pressure steam. ...the invention of the steam engine. 2. If something steams, it gives off steam. ...restaurants where coffee pots steamed on their burners. ...a basket of steaming bread rolls. VERB: V, V-ing 3. If you steam food or if it steams, you cook it in steam rather than in water. Steam the carrots until they are just beginning to be tender... Leave the vegetables to steam over the rice for the 20 minutes cooking time. ...steamed clams and broiled chicken. VERB: V n, V, V-ed 4. If something such as a plan or a project goes full steam ahead, it progresses quickly. The Government was determined to go full steam ahead with its privatisation programme... PHRASE: v PHR 5. If you let off steam, you get rid of your energy, anger, or strong emotions with physical activity or by behaving in a noisy or violent way. (INFORMAL) Regular exercise helps to combat unwanted stress and is a good way of relaxing or letting off steam. PHRASE: V inflects 6. If you run out of steam, you stop doing something because you have no more energy or enthusiasm left. (INFORMAL) I decided to paint the bathroom ceiling but ran out of steam halfway through. PHRASE: V inflects

Soule's Dictionary of English Synonyms

I. n. 1. Vapor (especially of water), water in a gaseous state. 2. Visible vapor. 3. Mist, fume, reek, smoke, exhalation, effluvium. II. v. n. 1. Emit vapor, fume. 2. Evaporate, pass off in vapor. 3. Navigate (by means of steam), plough the deep, plough the waves.

Moby Thesaurus

Old Faithful, aerate, aerify, afterdamp, agua, amperage, aqua, armipotence, atomize, authority, bake, barbecue, baste, be in heat, beef, black power, blackdamp, blanch, blaze, bloom, blow, boat, boil, boiling water, braise, breath, breathe out, brew, broil, brown, brute force, burn, canoe, carbonate, carry sail, chafe, charge, charisma, chlorinate, choke, chokedamp, circumnavigate, cloud, clout, coast, coddle, cogence, cogency, combust, compulsion, cook, cross, cruise, curry, damp, devil, dint, distill, do, do to perfection, drinking water, drive, duress, eau, effect, effectiveness, effectuality, effluvium, electric-heat, emit, energy, etherify, etherize, evacuate, evaporate, exhalation, exhale, exhaust, expire, fetid air, fire, fire up, firedamp, flame, flame up, flare, flare up, flatus, flicker, flower power, fluid, fluidize, flush, foment, force, force majeure, forcefulness, fractionate, fricassee, frizz, frizzle, fry, full blast, full force, fume, fumigate, gas-heat, gasify, gasp, geyser, give off, give out, give vent to, glow, go by ship, go on shipboard, go to sea, griddle, grill, ground water, hard water, head, heat, heavy water, hot, hot spring, hot up, hot water, hot-air-heat, hot-water-heat, hydrogenate, hydrol, hydrometeor, hydrosphere, incandesce, influence, let out, limewater, main force, main strength, make a passage, malaria, mana, mephitis, miasma, might, might and main, mightiness, mineral water, motorboat, moxie, mull, muscle, muscle power, navigate, open the floodgates, open the sluices, oven-bake, overheat, oxygenate, pan, pan-broil, pant, parboil, parch, perfume, pizzazz, ply, poach, poop, potence, potency, potentiality, power, power pack, power structure, power struggle, powerfulness, preheat, prepare, prepare food, prepotency, productiveness, productivity, puff, puff of smoke, puissance, pull, punch, push, radiate heat, rain, rainwater, recook, reek, reheat, roast, row, run, sail, sail round, sail the sea, salt water, saute, scald, scallop, scorch, scull, sea water, seafare, sear, seethe, send out, shimmer with heat, shirr, simmer, sinew, smoke, smolder, smother, smudge, soft water, spark, spray, spring water, steamboat, stew, stifle, stir-fry, stoke up, strength, strong arm, sublimate, sublime, suffocate, superheat, superiority, superpower, sweat, swelter, take a voyage, tepefy, thermae, throw off, toast, traverse, validity, vapor, vaporize, vehemence, vigor, vim, virility, virtue, virulence, vitality, volatile, volatilize, voyage, warm, warm over, warm up, water, water vapor, wattage, weight, well water, wetting agent, wetting-out agent, yacht