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steer

v. · n.
US //ˈstɪɹ// UK //stˈiə// steer
  1. 1 to drive or guide a vehicle (v.)
    B1 Intermediate

    to control the direction of a car, boat, or bicycle using a wheel or handle.

    to control the course of a vehicle, vessel, or aircraft by means of a steering mechanism.

    Example

    It is difficult to steer the boat when the wind is blowing this hard.

    Example

    The novice driver struggled to steer the car through the narrow, winding alleyways of the old town without clipping the mirrors.

    Usage

    The verb can be used transitively with the vehicle as the object or intransitively.
  2. 2 to guide a person or topic (v.)
    B2 Upper Intermediate

    to influence someone or a conversation to go in a certain direction.

    to maneuver or manipulate a person, group, or discussion toward a specific course of action or subject.

    Example

    The teacher tried to steer the students away from the topic of the exam.

    Example

    The CEO skillfully managed to steer the board of directors toward a more sustainable long-term investment strategy.

    Usage

    Often used with the preposition 'towards' or 'away from'.
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  1. 3 a piece of advice (n.)
    C1 Advanced Informal British English

    a helpful suggestion or piece of information about what you should do.

    a piece of advice or information concerning a potential course of action.

    Example

    Can you give me a steer on which laptop I should buy?

    Example

    He gave me a useful steer on the upcoming merger, suggesting that I wait for the official announcement before selling my shares.

    Usage

    Commonly used in the phrase 'give someone a steer'.
  2. 4 a male cow (n.)
    C2 Proficiency Technical

    a young male cow that has been operated on so it cannot father calves, usually raised for meat.

    a castrated male of the cattle family, typically one raised for beef production.

    Example

    The farmer moved the steers into the lower field for the summer.

    Example

    The rancher specialized in raising high-quality steers for the premium organic beef market.
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.

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.

Idioms1 entry

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