steam

Meanings

1. 1
   noun

   The hot gas that water turns into when it boils.

   Steam rose from the boiling kettle.

2. 2
   verb

   To cook food using the steam from boiling water.

   Just steam the vegetables for a few minutes.

3. 3
   verb

   To give off steam.

   A cup of coffee steamed on the table.

4. 4
   noun

   Energy or strength to keep going.

   After three weeks in bed he was finally able to sit up under his own steam.

5. 5
   noun

   Anger that has been held in.

   Dad went outside to blow off some steam.

From Middle English steem, stem, from Old English stēam (“steam, hot exhalation, hot breath; that which emits vapour; blood”), from Proto-Germanic *staumaz (“steam, vapour, breath”), from Proto-Indo-European *dʰewh₂- (“to whirl, waft, stink, shake; steam, haze, smoke”). Cognate with Scots stem, steam (“steam”), West Frisian steam (“steam, vapour”), Dutch stoom (“steam, vapour”), Low German stom (“steam”), Swedish dialectal stimma (“steam, fog”), Latin fūmus (“smoke, steam”).

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