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Steer vs Heifer - What's the difference?

steer | heifer |

As nouns the difference between steer and heifer

is that steer is the castrated male of cattle, especially one raised for beef production or steer can be (informal) a suggestion about a course of action or steer can be (obsolete) a helmsman; a pilot while heifer is (label) a young cow, (particularly) one over one year old but which has not calved.

As a verb steer

is to castrate (a male calf) or steer can be to guide the course of a vessel, vehicle, aircraft etc (by means of a device such as a rudder, paddle, or steering wheel).

steer

English

Etymology 1

(etyl) .

Noun

(en noun)
  • 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

    (en verb)
  • To castrate (a male calf).
  • Etymology 2

    From (etyl) stieran.

    Noun

    (en noun)
  • (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

    (en verb)
  • 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 .
  • * Tennyson
  • No helmsman steers .
  • 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.
  • To be directed and governed; to take a direction, or course; to obey the helm.
  • The boat steers easily.
  • * Milton
  • Where the wind / Veers oft, as oft [a ship] so steers , and shifts her sail.
  • To direct a group of animals.
  • 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.
  • To direct a conversation.
  • To conduct oneself; to take or pursue a course of action.
  • See also
    * steering wheel * torque steer

    Noun

    (en noun)
  • (obsolete) A helmsman; a pilot.
  • (Chaucer)

    heifer

    English

    Noun

    (en noun)
  • (label) A young cow, (particularly) one over one year old but which has not calved.
  • * 1611 , KJV, Numbers 19:1-2
  • (label) A wife.
  • *1616 , Ben Jonson, Epicœne'', Ch. ii., in ''Works , Vol. I, p. 549:
  • A girl.
  • * 1853 , T.C. Haliburton, Sam Slick's Wise Saws , Vol. II., p. 282:
  • A cow: a large, unattractive, unpleasant woman.
  • * 2001 , Glenda Howard, Cita's World
  • Derived terms

    {{der3, heiferbud, heifer-bud , heifer calf , heifer dust , heiferhood , heifer paddock, heifer-paddock , heifer yearling , plow with one's heifer, plough with one's heifer}}