Library / English Dictionary

STEAM

Pronunciation (US):

(GB):

 I. (noun) 

Sense 1

Meaning:

Water at boiling temperature diffused in the atmosphere

Classified under:

Nouns denoting substances

Hypernyms ("steam" is a kind of...):

vapor; vapour (a visible suspension in the air of particles of some substance)

Hyponyms (each of the following is a kind of "steam"):

live steam (steam coming from a boiler at full pressure)

Derivation:

steam (cook something by letting steam pass over it)

steam (clean by means of steaming)

 II. (verb) 

Sense 1

Meaning:

Cook something by letting steam pass over it

Example:

just steam the vegetables

Classified under:

Verbs of size, temperature change, intensifying, etc.

Hypernyms (to "steam" is one way to...):

cook (transform and make suitable for consumption by heating)

Domain category:

cookery; cooking; preparation (the act of preparing something (as food) by the application of heat)

Sentence frames:

Something ----s
Somebody ----s something

Sentence example:

The chefs steam the vegetables

Derivation:

steam (water at boiling temperature diffused in the atmosphere)

steamer (a cooking utensil that can be used to cook food by steaming it)

steamer (a clam that is usually steamed in the shell)

Sense 2

Meaning:

Clean by means of steaming

Example:

steam-clean the upholstered sofa

Synonyms:

steam; steam clean

Classified under:

Verbs of touching, hitting, tying, digging

Hypernyms (to "steam" is one way to...):

clean; make clean (make clean by removing dirt, filth, or unwanted substances from)

Sentence frames:

Somebody ----s something
Something ----s something

Derivation:

steam (water at boiling temperature diffused in the atmosphere)

Sense 3

Meaning:

Get very angry

Example:

her indifference to his amorous advances really steamed the young man

Classified under:

Verbs of feeling

Hypernyms (to "steam" is one way to...):

anger; see red (become angry)

Sentence frame:

Somebody ----s

Sense 4

Meaning:

Travel by means of steam power

Example:

The ship steamed off into the Pacific

Synonyms:

steam; steamer

Classified under:

Verbs of walking, flying, swimming

Hypernyms (to "steam" is one way to...):

go; locomote; move; travel (change location; move, travel, or proceed, also metaphorically)

Domain category:

navigation; pilotage; piloting (the guidance of ships or airplanes from place to place)

Sentence frames:

Something ----s
Something is ----ing PP

Derivation:

steamer (a ship powered by one or more steam engines)

Sense 5

Meaning:

Rise as vapor

Classified under:

Verbs of walking, flying, swimming

Hypernyms (to "steam" is one way to...):

arise; come up; go up; lift; move up; rise; uprise (move upward)

Sentence frame:

Something ----s

Sense 6

Meaning:

Emit steam

Example:

The rain forest was literally steaming

Classified under:

Verbs of raining, snowing, thawing, thundering

Hypernyms (to "steam" is one way to...):

emit; give off; give out (give off, send forth, or discharge; as of light, heat, or radiation, vapor, etc.)

Sentence frames:

Something ----s
Somebody ----s

Credits

 Context examples: 

Injuries to tissues caused by contact with heat, steam, chemicals (BURNS, CHEMICAL), electricity (BURNS, ELECTRIC), or the like.

(Burn, NLM, Medical Subject Headings)

"I shall get a steam launch and follow him," said Lord Godalming.

(Dracula, by Bram Stoker)

The air was like sulphur-steams—I could find no refreshment anywhere.

(Jane Eyre, by Charlotte Brontë)

It narrowed rapidly, however, and after two more days' steaming we reached an Indian village, where the Professor insisted that we should land, and that the Esmeralda should be sent back to Manaos.

(The Lost World, by Sir Arthur Conan Doyle)

When a volcano begins erupting beneath a sheet of ice on Earth, the rapidly generated steam typically leads to explosions that punch through the ice and propel ash high into the sky.

(Clues about Volcanoes Under Ice on Ancient Mars, NASA)

In late December 2014, a submarine volcano in the South Pacific Kingdom of Tonga erupted, sending a violent stream of steam, ash and rock into the air.

(NASA Shows New Tongan Island Made of Tuff Stuff, Likely to Persist Years, NASA)

The scented liquid taken from certain plants using steam or pressure.

(Essential oil, NCI Dictionary)

Scalds from hot liquids and steam, building fires and flammable liquids and gases are the most common causes of burns.

(Burns, NIH: National Institute of General Medical Sciences)

I never saw a man so thoroughly enjoy himself amid the fragrance of lemon-peel and sugar, the odour of burning rum, and the steam of boiling water, as Mr. Micawber did that afternoon.

(David Copperfield, by Charles Dickens)

The stage was dark and the glow of the furnace had a fine effect, especially as real steam issued from the kettle when the witch took off the cover.

(Little Women, by Louisa May Alcott)