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Webster 1913 Edition

Steer

Steer

(stēr)
,
Noun.
[OE.
steer
, AS.
steór
; akin to D. & G.
stier
a bull, OHG.
stior
, Icel.
stjōrr
,
þjōrr
, Sw.
tjur
, Dan.
tyr
, Goth.
stiur
, Russ.
tur’
, Pol.
tur
, Ir. & Gael.
tarbh
, W.
tarw
, L.
taurus
, Gr.
ταῦρος
, Skr.
sthūra
strong, stout, AS.
stor
large, Icel.
stōrr
, OHG.
stūri
,
stiuri
. √168. Cf.
Stirk
,
Taurine
,
Adj.
]
A young male of the ox kind; especially, a common ox; a castrated taurine male from two to four years old. See the Note under
Ox
.

Steer

,
Verb.
T.
To castrate; – said of male calves.

Steer

,
Verb.
T.
[
imp. & p. p.
Steered
(stērd)
;
p. pr. & vb. n.
Steering
.]
[OE.
steeren
,
steren
, AS.
stiéran
,
stȳran
,
steóran
; akin to OFries.
stiora
,
stiura
, D.
sturen
, OD.
stieren
, G.
steuern
, OHG.
stiuren
to direct, support, G.
steuer
contribution, tax, Icel.
stȳra
to steer, govern, Sw.
styra
, Dan.
styre
, Goth.
stiurjan
to establish, AS.
steór
a rudder, a helm, and probably to Icel.
staurr
a pale, stake, Gr.
σταυρός
, and perhaps ultimately to E.
stand
. √168. Cf.
Starboard
,
Stern
,
Noun.
]
To direct the course of; to guide; to govern; – applied especially to a vessel in the water.
That with a staff his feeble steps did
steer
.
Spenser.

Steer

,
Verb.
I.
1.
To direct a vessel in its course; to direct one's course.
“No helmsman steers.”
Tennyson.
2.
To be directed and governed; to take a direction, or course; to obey the helm;
as, the boat
steers
easily
.
Where the wind
Veers oft, as oft [a ship] so
steers
, and shifts her sail.
Milton.
3.
To conduct one's self; to take or pursue a course of action.

Steer

,
Noun.
[AS.
steór
,
stiór
; akin to D.
stuur
, G.
steuer
, Icel.
stȳri
. √168. See
Steer
,
Verb.
T.
]
[Written also
stere
.]
A rudder or helm.
[Obs.]
Chaucer.

Steer

,
Noun.
[AS.
steóra
. See
Steer
a rudder.]
A helmsman; a pilot.
[Obs.]
Chaucer.

Webster 1828 Edition

Steer

STEER

,
Noun.
A young male of the ox kind or common ox. It is rendered in Dutch, a bull; but in the United States, this name is generally given to a castrated male of the ox kind, from two to four years old.
With solemn pomp then sacrificd a steer.

STEER

,
Verb.
T.
[G., to hinder, restrain, repress, to curb, to steer, to pilot, to aid, help, support. The verb si connected with or derived from steuer, a rudder, a helm, aid, help, subsidy, impost, tax, contribution.]
1.
To direct; to govern; particularly, to direct and govern the course of a ship by the movements of the helm. Hence,
2.
To direct; to guide; to show the way or course to.
That with a staff his feeble steps did steer.

STEER

,
Verb.
I.
1.
To direct and govern a ship or other vessel in its course. Formerly seamen steered by the stars; they ow steer by the compass.
A ship--where the wind veers oft, as oft so steers and shifts her sail.
2.
To be directed and governed; as, a ship steers with ease.
3.
To conduct ones self; to take or pursue a course or way.

STEER

,
Noun.
A rudder or helm. [Not in use.]

Definition 2024

steer

steer

English

Noun

steer ‎(plural steers)

  1. The castrated male of cattle, especially one raised for beef production.
    • 1913, Willa Cather, O Pioneers!, chapter 2
      He counted the cattle over and over. It diverted him to speculate as to how much weight each of the steers would probably put on by spring.
Synonyms
Hypernyms
Coordinate terms
Translations

Verb

steer ‎(third-person singular simple present steers, present participle steering, simple past and past participle steered)

  1. (transitive) To castrate (a male calf).
Translations

Etymology 2

From Middle English steeren, steren, stiren, sturen, steoren, from Old English stēoran, stīeran, stȳran ‎(“to steer; guide a vessel”), from Proto-Germanic *stiurijaną ‎(“to steer”).

The noun is from Middle English steere, stere, steor, from Old English stēor, stȳr ‎(“steering; guidance; direction”). Compare Dutch stuur, German Steuer, Icelandic stýri.

Noun

steer ‎(plural steers)

  1. (informal) A suggestion about a course of action.
    • 1939, Mark Hellinger, The Roaring Twenties:
      I tried to give you the steer, but I guess I didn't get it over. Everybody knew it but you.
Translations

Verb

steer ‎(third-person singular simple present steers, present participle steering, simple past and past participle steered)

  1. (intransitive) To guide the course of a vessel, vehicle, aircraft etc. (by means of a device such as a rudder, paddle, or steering wheel).
    When planning the boat trip we had completely forgotten that we needed somebody to steer.
    • 1842, Lord Alfred Tennyson, Sir Galahad:
      I leap on board: no helmsman steers: I float till all is dark.
  2. (transitive) To guide the course of a vessel, vehicle, aircraft etc. (by means of a device such as a rudder, paddle, or steering wheel).
    I find it very difficult to steer a skateboard.
    I steered my steps homeward.
  3. (intransitive) To be directed and governed; to take a direction, or course; to obey the helm.
    The boat steers easily.
    • 1667, John Milton, Paradise Lost, Book 9:
      Where the wind / Veers oft, as oft [a ship] so steers, and shifts her sail.
  4. (transitive) To direct a group of animals.
  5. (transitive) To maneuver or manipulate a person or group into a place or course of action.
    Hume believes that principles of association steer the imagination of artists.
  6. (transitive) To direct a conversation.
  7. To conduct oneself; to take or pursue a course of action.
Translations
See also

Noun

steer ‎(plural steers)

  1. (obsolete) A helmsman; a pilot.
    (Can we find and add a quotation of Chaucer to this entry?)

Anagrams

Etymology

From Middle English steer, ster, steor, from Old English stēor ‎(“a young bull or cow; steer”), from Proto-Germanic *steuraz ‎(“bull; steer”), from Proto-Indo-European *(s)táwros ‎(“wild bull; aurochs”). Cognate with Dutch stier, German Stier, Icelandic stjór, Latin taurus ‎(“bull”).

Pronunciation

  • IPA(key): /stɪə(r)/
  • Rhymes: -ɪə(r)

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