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Steam vs Vapour - What's the difference?

steam | vapour |

In obsolete terms the difference between steam and vapour

is that steam is to exhale while vapour is wind; flatulence.

In transitive terms the difference between steam and vapour

is that steam is to expose to the action of steam; to apply steam to for softening, dressing, or preparing while vapour is to turn into vapour.

In intransitive terms the difference between steam and vapour

is that steam is to travel by means of steam power while vapour is to use insubstantial language; to boast or bluster.

As nouns the difference between steam and vapour

is that steam is the vapor formed when water changes from liquid phase to gas phase while vapour is cloudy diffused matter such as mist, steam or fumes suspended in the air.

As verbs the difference between steam and vapour

is that steam is to cook with steam while vapour is to become vapour; to be emitted or circulated as vapour.

As an adjective steam

is old-fashioned; from before the digital age.

As an initialism STEAM

is initialism of Serial time-encoded amplified microscopy|Serial Time-Encoded Amplified Microscopy|lang=en.

steam

English

(wikipedia steam)

Noun

(-)
  • The vapor formed when water changes from liquid phase to gas phase.
  • Pressurized water vapour used for heating, cooking, or to provide mechanical energy.
  • (figuratively) Internal energy for motive power.
    • After three weeks in bed he was finally able to sit up under his own steam .
  • (figuratively) Pent-up anger.
    • Dad had to go outside to blow off some steam .
  • A steam-powered vehicle.
  • Travel by means of a steam-powered vehicle.
  • (obsolete) Any exhalation.
  • * Milton
    • a steam of rich, distilled perfumes

    Synonyms

    * (a steam-powered vehicle) steamer

    Derived terms

    * blow off steam * build up steam * steam bath * steamboat * steam boiler * steam condenser * steam distillation * steam engine * steam hammer * steam heater * steam iron * steam locomotive * steam power * steam-powered * steam railroad * steamroller * steamship * steam shovel * steam train * steam turbine * run out of steam * under one's own steam

    Verb

    (en verb)
  • (cooking) To cook with steam.
  • To expose to the action of steam; to apply steam to for softening, dressing, or preparing.
    • to steam wood or cloth
  • To produce or vent steam.
  • * Dryden
    • My brother's ghost hangs hovering there, / O'er his warm blood, that steams into the air.
  • To rise in vapour; to issue, or pass off, as vapour.
  • * Boyle
    • The dissolved amber steamed away into the air.
  • (figuratively) To become angry; to fume; to be incensed.
  • (figuratively) To make angry.
    • It really steams me to see her treat him like that.
  • To be covered with condensed water vapor.
    • With all the heavy breathing going on the windows were quickly steamed in the car.
  • To travel by means of steam power.
    • We steamed around the Mediterranean.
  • * N. P. Willis
    • The vessel steamed out of port.
  • (figuratively, or, literally) To move with great or excessive purposefulness.
    • If he heard of anyone picking the fruit he would steam off and lecture them.
  • * {{quote-news
    • , year=2010 , date=December 29 , author=Chris Whyatt , title=Chelsea 1 - 0 Bolton , work=BBC citation , page= , passage=That was the hard work largely done as the Ivorian waited for Malouda to steam into the box before releasing a simple crossed pass which the Frenchman side-footed home with aplomb. }}
  • (obsolete) To exhale.
    • (Spenser)

    Synonyms

    * See also

    Derived terms

    * steamer * steaming

    Adjective

    (-)
  • Old-fashioned; from before the digital age.
  • *
  • *
  • *
  • *

    • Anagrams

    * English intransitive verbs English transitive verbs 1000 English basic words ----

    vapour

    English

    Alternative forms

    * vapor (US)

    Noun

  • Cloudy diffused matter such as mist, steam or fumes suspended in the air.
  • *{{quote-book, year=1892, author=(James Yoxall)
    • , chapter=5, title= The Lonely Pyramid , passage=The desert storm was riding in its strength; the travellers lay beneath the mastery of the fell simoom.
  • The gaseous state of a substance that is normally a solid or liquid.
  • (label) Wind; flatulence.
    • (Francis Bacon)
  • Something unsubstantial, fleeting, or transitory; unreal fancy; vain imagination; idle talk; boasting.
  • * Bible, (w) iv. 14
    • For what is your life? It is even a vapour , that appeareth for a little time, and then vanisheth away.
  • (label) Hypochondria; melancholy; the blues; hysteria, or other nervous disorder.
  • * (Alexander Pope) (1688-1744)
    • a fit of vapours
  • (label) Any medicinal agent designed for administration in the form of inhaled vapour.

    • Derived terms

    * vapour pressure * vapour trail * water vapour

    See also

    * dew point

    Verb

    (en verb)
  • To become vapour; to be emitted or circulated as vapour.
  • To turn into vapour.
    • to vapour away a heated fluid
  • * Ben Jonson
    • He'd laugh to see one throw his heart away, / Another, sighing, vapour forth his soul.
  • To use insubstantial language; to boast or bluster.
  • * 1888 , (Rudyard Kipling), ‘The Bisara of Pooree’, Plain Tales from the Hills , Folio Society 2005, p. 172:
    • He vapoured , and fretted, and fumed, and trotted up and down, and tried to make himself pleasing in Miss Hollis's big, quiet, grey eyes, and failed.
  • * 1904 , , ‘Reginald's Christmas Revel’, Reginald :
    • then the Major gave us a graphic account of a struggle he had with a wounded bear. I privately wished that the bears would win sometimes on these occasions; at least they wouldn't go vapouring about it afterwards.
  • * 1978 , (Lawrence Durrell), Livia'', Faber & Faber 1992 (''Avignon Quintet ), p. 513:
    • He felt he would start vapouring with devotion if this went on, so he bruptly took his leave with a cold expression on his face which dismayed her for she thought that it was due to distain for her artistic opinions.
  • To emit vapour or fumes.
  • * Francis Bacon
    • Running waters vapour not so much as standing waters.

    Verb

    (en verb)
  • To become vapour; to be emitted or circulated as vapour.
  • To turn into vapour.
  • To use insubstantial language; to boast or bluster.
  • * 1888 , (Rudyard Kipling), ‘The Bisara of Pooree’, Plain Tales from the Hills , Folio Society 2005, p. 172:
    • He vapoured , and fretted, and fumed, and trotted up and down, and tried to make himself pleasing in Miss Hollis's big, quiet, grey eyes, and failed.
  • * 1904 , , ‘Reginald's Christmas Revel’, Reginald :
    • then the Major gave us a graphic account of a struggle he had with a wounded bear. I privately wished that the bears would win sometimes on these occasions; at least they wouldn't go vapouring about it afterwards.
  • * 1978 , (Lawrence Durrell), Livia , Faber
    • British English forms