steam

noun12

1. •
   the hot white cloud that rises from very hot water, which is water in the form of a gas
2. •
   Pressurized water vapour used for heating, cooking, or to provide mechanical energy.
3. •
   The suspended condensate (cloud) formed by water vapour when it encounters colder air.
4. •
   Mist, fog.
5. •
   Exhaled breath into cold air below the dew point of the exhalation.
6. •
   (figurative) Internal energy for progress or motive power.

   • After three weeks in bed he was finally able to sit up under his own steam.
7. •
   (figurative) Pent-up anger.

   • Dad had to go outside to blow off some steam.
8. •
   The act of cooking by steaming.

   • Give the carrots a ten-minute steam.
9. •
   Travel by means of a steam-powered vehicle.
10. •
    A steam-powered vehicle, referring to their use.
11. •
    Fencing without the use of any electric equipment.
12. •
    (no longer used) Any exhalation.

    • a steam of rich, distilled perfumes — 1634

verb12

1. •
   To produce or vent steam.

   • See, see, my Brother's Ghost hangs hovering there, / O're his vvarm Blood, that steems into the Air, / Revenge, Revenge it cries. — 1665
2. •
   To cook with steam.

   • The best way to cook artichokes is to steam them.
3. •
   To be cooked with steam.

   • The artichokes are steaming in the pot.
   • I'm steaming in this coat.
4. •
   To expose to the action of steam; to apply steam to for softening, dressing, or preparing.
5. •
   To rise in vapour; to issue, or pass off, as vapour.

   • Our breath steamed in the cold winter air.
6. •
   To travel by means of steam power.

   • We steamed around the Mediterranean.
   • The ship steamed out of the harbour.
7. •
   To cover with condensed water vapor.

   • With all the heavy breathing going on the windows were quickly steamed in the car.
8. •
   (figurative) To become angry; to fume; to be incensed.
9. •
   (figurative) To make angry.

   • It really steams me to see her treat him like that.
10. •
    (figurative) To move with great or excessive purposefulness.

    • If he heard of anyone picking the fruit he would steam off and lecture them.
11. •
    To raise steam, e.g. in a steam locomotive.

    • "We will give 198 a full exam. Then steam her, and operate her for the rest of the season. — 2023
12. •
    (no longer used) To exhale.

    • like inward fire that outward smoke had steemd — 1590

adjective1

1. •
   Old-fashioned; from before the digital age.

   • Tom Earle, a CBC radio veteran now compiling audio archives in Ottawa, used to refer to the medium in which he worked as "steam radio" — 1989

noun2

1. •
   Abbreviation of science, technology, engineering, arts, mathematics, a grouping of several fields of education.
2. •
   Initialism of serial time-encoded amplified microscopy.