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Definition 2024


steer_clear

steer clear

English

Verb

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

  1. (idiomatic, intransitive, often followed by of) To avoid; to dodge; to sidestep.
    • 1835, James Fenimore Cooper, The Monikins, Introduction:
      I always told Sir John to steer clear of too much journalizing.
    • 1880, Mark Twain, A Tramp Abroad, ch. 4:
      Foreign youth steer clear of the gymnasium; its rules are too severe.
    • 1914, Edward Stratemeyer, Dave Porter in the Gold Fields, ch. 10:
      "You steer clear of that rascally teacher and young Merwell," advised Dave's father. "They are a bad lot."
      "I'll steer clear if I can," answered Dave.
    • 1964 Jan. 28, Bosley Crowther, "Movie Review: The Seventh Juror (1962)," New York Times (retrieved 15 Jan 2014):
      But unless you are also philosophical and like to listen to a lot of dialogue—or, worse yet, read reams of subtitles—I think you'd be wise to steer clear.
    • 2013, "Surveillance State: Three Ways You're Being Watched," BloombergBusinessweek Videos (retrieved 15 Jan 2014):
      If you think you can steer clear of government surveillance by staying off-line, think again.

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