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Pronunciation Guide
HOW TO PRONOUNCE

steam

/stiːm/

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What does steam mean?

noun

  1. The hot gaseous form of water, formed when water changes from the liquid phase to the gas phase (at or above its boiling point temperature).
  2. Mist, fog.
  3. Exhaled breath into cold air below the dew point of the exhalation.
More meanings (23)

noun

  1. Pressurized water vapour used for heating, cooking, or to provide mechanical energy.
  2. The act of cooking by steaming.
  3. (figuratively) Internal energy for progress or motive power.
  4. (figuratively) Pent-up anger.
  5. A steam-powered vehicle, referring to their use.
  6. Travel by means of a steam-powered vehicle.
  7. Fencing without the use of any electric equipment.
  8. Initialism of serial time-encoded amplified microscopy.
  9. Abbreviation of science, technology, engineering, arts, mathematics, a grouping of several fields of education.
  10. (obsolete) Any exhalation.

verb

  1. To cook with steam.
  2. (figuratively) To be cooked with steam.
  3. To expose to the action of steam; to apply steam to for softening, dressing, or preparing.
  4. To raise steam, e.g. in a steam locomotive.
  5. To produce or vent steam.
  6. To rise in vapour; to issue, or pass off, as vapour.
  7. (figuratively) To become angry; to fume; to be incensed.
  8. (figuratively) To make angry.
  9. To cover with condensed water vapor.
  10. To travel by means of steam power.
  11. (figuratively) To move with great or excessive purposefulness.
  12. (obsolete) To exhale.

adjective

  1. Old-fashioned; from before the digital age.
Wiktionary contributors Wiktionary contributors

Definitions regrouped for readability · CC BY-SA 4.0

IPA pronunciation

/stiːm/

Wiktionary contributors · CC BY-SA 4.0 ↗

Pronunciation varies by speaker and region. About these dictionary pronunciations.

In the pages of books

See this word in context.

A violent explosion shook the air, and a spout of water, steam, mud, and shattered metal shot far up into the sky.
H. G. (Herbert George) WellsThe war of the worldsProject Gutenberg ebook #36
I lit up at once, and by the time I had got a good head of reserved steam on, here they came.
Mark TwainA Connecticut Yankee in King Arthur's CourtProject Gutenberg ebook #86
More book examples (3)
But when the sun went down and the steamer turned and began to steam back towards civilisation, again her fears were calmed.
Virginia WoolfThe Voyage OutProject Gutenberg ebook #144
So he hung them up again, and enlarged his fire and mused as the steam from the garments went up the chimney.
Thomas HardyJude the ObscureProject Gutenberg ebook #153
A roar and a jarring of the earth suddenly grew near and passed them in a reek of steam and hot air.
Frank NorrisMcTeague: A Story of San FranciscoProject Gutenberg ebook #165