I. steam 1 W3 /stiːm/ BrE AmE noun [uncountable]
[ Word Family: noun : ↑ steam , ↑ steamer ; verb : ↑ steam ; adverb : ↑ steaming ; adjective : ↑ steamy ]
[ Language: Old English ]
1 . GAS the hot mist that water produces when it is boiled:
Steam rose from the hot tub.
2 . MIST ON SURFACE the mist that forms on windows, mirrors etc when warm wet air suddenly becomes cold
3 . POWER power that is produced by boiling water to make steam, in order to make things work or move:
The engines are driven by steam.
steam engine/train/hammer etc (=an engine etc that works by steam power)
4 . let/blow off steam to get rid of your anger, excitement, or energy in a way that does not harm anyone by doing something active
5 . get/pick/build up steam ( also gather/gain steam )
a) if an engine picks up steam, it gradually starts to go faster
b) if plans, beliefs etc pick up steam, they gradually become more important and more people become interested in them:
The election campaign is picking up steam.
6 . run out of steam ( also lose steam ) to no longer have the energy or the desire to continue doing something, especially because you are tired:
I usually just let her yell until she runs out of steam.
7 . under your own steam if you go somewhere under your own steam, you get there without help from anyone else:
I’ll get to the restaurant under my own steam.
8 . RAILWAY a railway system in which the trains use steam for power:
the age of steam
⇨ full steam ahead at ↑ full 1 (18)
II. steam 2 BrE AmE verb
[ Word Family: noun : ↑ steam , ↑ steamer ; verb : ↑ steam ; adverb : ↑ steaming ; adjective : ↑ steamy ]
1 . [intransitive] if something steams, steam rises from it, especially because it is hot:
A pot was steaming on top of the cooker.
2 . [transitive] to cook something in steam ⇨ boil :
Steam the vegetables lightly.
steamed broccoli
3 . [intransitive always + adverb/preposition] to travel somewhere in a boat or train that uses steam to produce power
steam into/from etc
We steamed from port to port.
4 . [intransitive] especially British English to go somewhere very quickly
steam in/down
Geoff steamed in, ten minutes late.
5 . be steaming (mad) ( also be steamed (up) ) American English spoken to be very angry
steam ahead phrasal verb
to start doing something very quickly:
The company is steaming ahead with its investment programme.
steam something ↔ open/off phrasal verb
to use steam to open an envelope or to remove a stamp from an envelope
steam up phrasal verb
to cover something with steam, or to become covered with steam:
My glasses are all steamed up.
steam something ↔ up
A pan was boiling on the stove, steaming up the windows.
⇨ ↑ steamed-up
• • •
THESAURUS
■ ways of cooking something
▪ bake to cook things such as bread or cakes in an oven:
Tom baked a cake for my birthday.
▪ roast to cook meat or vegetables in an oven:
Roast the potatoes for an hour.
▪ fry to cook food in hot oil:
She was frying some mushrooms.
▪ stir-fry to fry small pieces of food while moving them around continuously:
stir-fried tofu and bean sprouts
▪ sauté /ˈsəʊteɪ $ soʊˈteɪ/ to fry vegetables for a short time in a small amount of butter or oil:
Sauté the potatoes in butter.
▪ grill to cook food over or under strong heat:
grilled fish
▪ broil American English to cook food under heat:
broiled fish
▪ boil to cook something in very hot water:
He doesn’t even know how to boil an egg.
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English people seem to love boiled vegetables.
▪ steam to cook vegetables over hot water:
Steam the rice for 15 minutes.
▪ poach to cook food, especially fish or eggs, slowly in hot water:
poached salmon
▪ toast to cook the outside surfaces of bread:
toasted muffins
▪ barbecue to cook food on a metal frame over a fire outdoors:
I thought we could barbecue some mackerel.
▪ microwave to cook food in a microwave oven:
The beans can be microwaved.