steer

See also: Steer

English

Pronunciation

• (UK) enPR: stĭə(r), IPA^(key): /stɪə(ɹ)/
• (US) IPA^(key): /stɪɹ/, /stɪɚ/

• Audio (US):

  (file)

• Rhymes: -ɪə(ɹ)

Etymology 1

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

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

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).

   The boat steered towards the iceberg.

   I steered homeward.

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.

   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.

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. (reflexive) To conduct oneself; to take or pursue a course of action.
7. (transitive) To direct a conversation.
8. (transitive) To direct or send an object into a specific place
   • 2021 June 29, Phil McNulty, “England 2-0 Germany”, in BBC Sport‎^[1]:

     Sterling, who scored the winners against Croatia and the Czech Republic in the group stage, steered in Luke Shaw's cross after 75 minutes to send England's fans, with more than 40,000 inside Wembley, into wild celebrations.

Derived terms

• course to steer
• shuffle steer
• steer clear

Translations

intransitive: guide the course

• Albanian: please add this translation if you can
• Arabic: قَادَ (qāda)

  Egyptian Arabic: قاد (qad)

• Armenian: վարել (hy) (varel)
• Basque: gidatu
• Bulgarian: насочвам се (nasočvam se)
• Catalan: guiar (ca), portar (ca), menar (ca), governar (ca)
• Chinese:

  Mandarin: 掌舵 (zh) (zhǎngduò), 驾驶 (zh) (jiàshǐ)

• Czech: řídit (cs)
• Danish: styre (da)
• Esperanto: stiriĝi
• Estonian: juhtima
• Finnish: ohjata (fi), ajaa (fi)
• French: conduire (fr), guider (fr), diriger (fr), piloter (fr), barrer (fr)
• Galician: gobernar (gl), conducir (gl)
• Georgian: მართვა (martva)
• German: steuern (de)
• Greek:

  Ancient: κυβερνάω (kubernáō)

• Hebrew: נוהג (nohég)
• Hindi: please add this translation if you can
• Hungarian: kormányoz (hu), irányít (hu), vezet (hu)
• Italian: sterzare (it)
• Japanese: 操縦する (sōjū suru) (vessel, vehicle, aircraft), 舵を取る (kaji wo toru) (vessel, aircraft), 操舵する (sōda suru), 運転する (unten suru) (vehicle)
• Korean: please add this translation if you can
• Latvian: vadīt (lv), stūrēt
• Lithuanian: please add this translation if you can
• Macedonian: управува (upravuva)
• Maltese: please add this translation if you can
• Maori: tia, ue, urungi, rūnā, tia, ue (A boat or canoe with a paddle)
• Mongolian: залах (mn) (zalax)
• Occitan: menar (oc), conduire (oc), guidar (oc), governar (oc), pilotar (oc)
• Persian: please add this translation if you can
• Polish: kierować (pl) impf, sterować (pl) impf
• Portuguese: direcionar (pt), guiar (pt)
• Romanian: conduce (ro), cârmi (ro), dirija (ro)
• Russian: управля́ть (ru) (upravljátʹ)
• Serbo-Croatian: upravljati (sh), usmjeravati (sh), kormilariti (sh) (vessel)
• Spanish: dirigir (es), conducir (es)
• Swedish: styra (sv)
• Thai: ถือพวงมาลัย (tĕu puang maalai)

transitive: guide the course of

• Albanian: please add this translation if you can
• Arabic: قَادَ (qāda)
• Armenian: վարել (hy) (varel)
• Basque: please add this translation if you can
• Bulgarian: управлявам (bg) (upravljavam), насочвам се (nasočvam se)
• Catalan: dirigir (ca)
• Chinese:

  Mandarin: 指导 (zh) (zhǐdǎo), 引导 (zh) (yǐndǎo)

• Czech: řídit (cs), směrovat impf
• Danish: styre (da)
• Dutch: besturen (nl)
• Esperanto: stiri (eo)
• Estonian: juhtima
• Finnish: ohjata (fi), ajaa (fi)
• Galician: gobernar (gl), conducir (gl)
• Georgian: მართავს (martavs)
• German: steuern (de)
• Greek:

  Ancient: κυβερνάω (kubernáō)

• Hebrew: נוהג ב־ (nohég b-)
• Hindi: please add this translation if you can
• Hungarian: kormányoz (hu), irányít (hu)
• Italian: guidare (it), dirigere (it), governare (it), manovrare (it)
• Japanese: 操縦する (sōjū suru) (vessel, vehicle, aircraft), 舵を取る (kaji wo toru) (vessel, aircraft), 操舵する (sōda suru), 運転する (unten suru) (vehicle)
• Korean: please add this translation if you can
• Latin: gubernō
• Latvian: vadīt (lv)
• Lithuanian: please add this translation if you can
• Maltese: please add this translation if you can
• Maori: rūnā, whakatere, urungi, tia
• Mongolian: жолоодох (mn) (žoloodox)
• Occitan: dirigir (oc), guidar (oc), governar (oc)
• Persian: please add this translation if you can
• Polish: kierować (pl) impf, sterować (pl) impf
• Portuguese: direcionar (pt), guiar (pt)
• Romanian: conduce (ro)
• Russian: пра́вить рулём (právitʹ ruljóm), управля́ть (ru) (upravljátʹ), води́ть (ru) (vodítʹ)
• Sanskrit: राष्टि (rāṣṭi)
• Serbo-Croatian: upravljati (sh), usmjeravati (sh)
• Spanish: dirigir (es), conducir (es), guiar (es)
• Swedish: styra (sv)
• Turkish: yönetmek (tr)

direct a group of animals

• Albanian: please add this translation if you can
• Armenian: վարել (hy) (varel)
• Asturian: afalar
• Basque: please add this translation if you can
• Bulgarian: подкарвам (bg) (podkarvam)
• Chinese:

  Mandarin: 驱赶 (zh) (qūgǎn)

• Czech: nahánět impf, hnát (cs) impf
• Danish: styre (da)
• Dutch: drijven (nl)
• Esperanto: gvidi
• Estonian: juhtima, karjatama (to herd)
• Finnish: ajaa (fi), paimentaa (fi) (to herd)
• Galician: afalar (gl)
• Georgian: გარეკვა (gareḳva), მირეკავს (mireḳavs)
• Hebrew: נוהג (nohég)
• Hindi: please add this translation if you can
• Hungarian: terel (hu)
• Italian: condurre (it)
• Japanese: 率いる (ja) (hikiiru), 導く (ja) (michibiku)
• Korean: please add this translation if you can
• Latvian: virzīt
• Lithuanian: please add this translation if you can
• Maltese: please add this translation if you can
• Mongolian: жолоодох (mn) (žoloodox)
• Persian: please add this translation if you can
• Portuguese: conduzir (pt)
• Romanian: please add this translation if you can
• Serbo-Croatian: goniti (sh)
• Spanish: llevar (es)
• Swedish: leda (sv)

maneuver or manipulate a person or group into a place or course of action

• Albanian: please add this translation if you can
• Basque: please add this translation if you can
• Chinese:

  Mandarin: 控制 (zh) (kòngzhì), 掌管 (zh) (zhǎnguǎn)

• Czech: nasměrovat pf
• Dutch: leiden (nl), begeleiden (nl)
• Esperanto: estrigi, irigi
• Finnish: ohjata (fi), ohjailla (fi), johdattaa (fi), johdatella (fi)
• Hebrew: מוביל (he) (movíl)
• Hindi: please add this translation if you can
• Japanese: 率いる (ja) (hikiiru), 導く (ja) (michibiku)
• Korean: please add this translation if you can
• Latvian: virzīt, vērst
• Lithuanian: please add this translation if you can
• Maltese: please add this translation if you can
• Mongolian: залах (mn) (zalax)
• Persian: please add this translation if you can
• Portuguese: levar a
• Romanian: please add this translation if you can
• Russian: вести́ (ru) (vestí)
• Serbo-Croatian: navoditi (sh)
• Swedish: styra (sv), leda (sv)

direct the conversation

• Albanian: please add this translation if you can
• Basque: please add this translation if you can
• Bulgarian: насочвам (bg) (nasočvam)
• Catalan: manejar (ca), dur (ca) (la conversa), dirigir (ca)
• Chinese:

  Mandarin: please add this translation if you can

• Czech: směřovat (cs) impf
• Danish: styre (da)
• Esperanto: plifaciligi
• Finnish: ohjata (fi), ohjailla (fi)
• Georgian: მართვა (martva), გამართვა (gamartva)
• Hebrew: מנהל (שיחה) (menahél (sikhá)), מנחה (he) (mankhé)
• Hindi: बात आगे बढ़ाना (bāt āge baṛhānā)
• Hungarian: terel (hu), kormányoz (hu), irányít (hu)
• Italian: condurre (it)
• Japanese: 導く (ja) (michibiku)
• Korean: please add this translation if you can
• Latvian: vērst
• Lithuanian: please add this translation if you can
• Maltese: please add this translation if you can
• Mongolian: чиглүүлэх (mn) (čiglüülex)
• Persian: please add this translation if you can
• Portuguese: direcionar (pt)
• Romanian: please add this translation if you can
• Russian: вести́ (разгово́р, беседу) (vestí (razgovór, besedu))
• Serbo-Croatian: navoditi (sh)
• Spanish: manejar (es), dirigir (es)
• Swedish: styra (sv)

The translations below need to be checked and inserted above into the appropriate translation tables. See instructions at Wiktionary:Entry layout § Translations.

Translations to be checked

• Arabic: ^{(please verify)} توجيه
• French: ^{(please verify)} diriger (fr), ^{(please verify)} manœuvrer (fr)
• Russian: ^{(please verify)} пасти́ (ru) (pastí)
• Spanish: ^{(please verify)} conducir (es)
• Thai: ^{(please verify)} ถือท้าย (tĕu táai), ^{(please verify)} คัดท้าย (kát táai)

See also

• differential steering
• steering wheel
• throttle steering
• torque steer

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.

2. (obsolete) A helmsman; a pilot.

Derived terms

• bum steer
• steerless
• steer tube

Translations

informal: suggestion about course of action

• Bulgarian: намек (bg) m (namek)
• Chinese:

  Mandarin: 指导 (zh) (zhǐdǎo), 引导 (zh) (yǐndǎo)

• Esperanto: gvido
• Finnish: vinkki (fi)
• Georgian: რჩევა (rčeva)
• Japanese: 助言 (ja) (jogen)
• Latvian: mājiens m
• Serbo-Croatian: napućivanje n

Etymology 2

Inherited from Middle English steer, ster, 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”), Greek ταύρος (távros). Doublet of tur and Taurus.

Noun

steer (plural steers)

2. 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

• ox

Hypernyms

• cattle

Hyponyms

• stirk, bullock

Coordinate terms

• bull, calf, cow

Derived terms

• Judas steer
• wild as a Tuckernuck steer

Translations

castrated male of cattle

• Arabic: ثَوْر (ar) m (ṯawr)
• Aramaic:

  Hebrew: תורא m (tōrā, tōro)

  Syriac: ܬܘܪܐ m (tōrā, tōro)

• Catalan: bou (ca) m
• Czech: vůl (cs) m
• Danish: stud m
• Dutch: os (nl) m
• Esperanto: kastrita bovo
• Finnish: härkä (fi)
• French: bœuf (fr) m
• Galician: boi (gl) m, xuvenco m
• Georgian: მოზვერი (mozveri)
• German: Ochse (de) m, Mastochse m (one raised for beef)
• Hungarian: tinó (hu)
• Ingrian: härkä, hällö
• Italian: manzo (it) m, bue (it) m
• Japanese: 去勢雄牛
• Korean: 수송아지 (susong'aji)
• Latin: iuvencus m
• Latvian: jauns vērsis m
• Mandarin: 閹公牛 / 阉公牛 (yān gōng niú)
• Maori: ōkiha, tia
• Mongolian: эр үхэр (er üxer)
• Occitan: bòu (oc)
• Persian: گاو گوشتی sg (gāv-e gušti)
• Polish: młody wół m
• Portuguese: boi (pt) m
• Romanian: bou (ro) m
• Russian: кастри́рованный бычо́к m (kastrírovannyj byčók), бычо́к-кастра́т m (byčók-kastrát), молодо́й во́л m (molodój vól)
• Serbo-Croatian: uškopljeni junac f, kastrirani junac m
• Spanish: buey (es) m
• Swedish: stut (sv)
• Taos: mùoyaʼána
• Welsh: bustach m

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

castrate a male calf

• Catalan: castrar (ca), capar (ca)
• Chinese:

  Mandarin: 阉割 (zh) (yāngē)

• Czech: kastrovat (cs) impf, vykastrovat (cs)
• Esperanto: kastri
• Galician: capar (gl), castrar (gl)
• Occitan: castrar (oc), crestar (oc)
• Portuguese: capar (pt), castrar (pt)
• Serbo-Croatian: kastrirati (sh), škopiti (sh) impf, uškopiti (sh) pf

Anagrams

• Ester, Reset, Trees, ester, estre, re-est., reest, reset, retes, seter, stere, teers, teres, terse, trees

Middle English

Etymology 1

Inherited from Old English stēor (“steer”), from Proto-West Germanic *steur, from Proto-Germanic *steuraz.

Alternative forms

• steor, ster, stere

Pronunciation

• IPA^(key): /steːr/
• (Early Middle English) IPA^(key): /støːr/

Noun

steer (plural steres)

1. steer, young bull

Descendants

• English: steer
• Middle Scots: ster, stere, steir
  • Scots: steer

References

• “stẹ̄r(e, n.(1).”, in MED Online, Ann Arbor, Mich.: University of Michigan, 2007, retrieved 2018-04-03.

Etymology 2

Noun

steer

1. Alternative form of stere (“rudder, control”)

Scots

Etymology

Inherited from Old English styrian.

Noun

steer

1. stir