Steer

Pronunciation

• IPA: /stɪə(r)/
• Rhymes: -ɪə(r)

Old English stēor.

Full definition of steer

Noun

1. The castrated male of cattle, especially one raised for beef production.
• 1913, Willa Cather, ,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

Coordinate terms

• bull, calf, cow

Verb

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

From Old English stieran.

Noun

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

Verb

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.
• TennysonNo helmsman steers.
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.
• MiltonWhere the wind
  Veers oft, as oft 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.

Noun

1. (obsolete) A helmsman; a pilot.

Anagrams

• ester, estre, reset, Reset, stere, stree, terse, trees