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Steer vs Helm - What's the difference?

steer | helm |

As nouns the difference between steer and helm

is that steer is the castrated male of cattle, especially one raised for beef production while helm is the steering apparatus of a ship, especially the tiller or wheel.

As verbs the difference between steer and helm

is that steer is to castrate (a male calf) while helm is to be a helmsman or a member of the helm; to be in charge of steering the boat.

As a proper noun Helm is

the only named wind in the British Isles. Blows westward form the Pennine fells over Cumbria and is often accompanied by a line of clouds on top of the hills called the Helm Bar.

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)

    helm

    English

    (wikipedia helm)

    Etymology 1

    From (etyl) (m), from (etyl) .

    Noun

    (en noun)
  • (nautical) The steering apparatus of a ship, especially the tiller or wheel.
  • (maritime) The member of the crew in charge of steering the boat.
  • (figurative) A position of leadership or control.
  • the helm of the Commonwealth
  • * {{quote-news
  • , year=2011 , date=January 11 , author=Jonathan Stevenson , title=West Ham 2 - 1 Birmingham , work=BBC citation , page= , passage=Grant will be desperate to finish the job of getting West Ham to their first Wembley cup final in 30 years when they meet Birmingham in the second leg at St Andrews on 26 January; though arguably of more pressing concern is whether he will still be at the helm for Saturday's Premier League encounter with Arsenal.}}
  • One at the place of direction or control; a guide; a director.
  • * Shakespeare
  • the helms o' the State, who care for you like fathers
  • (heraldry) A helmet.
  • (obsolete, UK, dialect) A helve.
  • Derived terms
    * at the helm * take the helm

    Verb

    (en verb)
  • To be a helmsman or a member of the helm; to be in charge of steering the boat.
  • * Tennyson
  • A wild wave overbears the bark, / And him that helms it.
  • (by extension) To lead (a project, etc.).
  • * 2014 , Malcolm Jack, " John Grant with the Royal Northern Sinfonia review – positively spine-tingling", The Guardian , 1 December 2014:
  • “I wanted to change the world, but I could not even change my underwear,” sings John Grant at the piano, in a luxuriant baritone croon as thick and healthy as his beard. It’s hard to reconcile the guy who once struggled to so much as put on clean pants back in the bad old days – well-storied, not least through his own songs – with the one warmly and gracefully helming this complex, prestigious production – the penultimate date on a tour of packed concert halls, backed by an orchestra.
  • * Shakespeare
  • the business he hath helmed

    Etymology 2

    From (etyl), from (etyl) (m), (etyl) . Compare (etyl) (m), (etyl) (m), (etyl) (m), (etyl) (m), (etyl) (m).

    Noun

    (en-noun)
  • (archaic) A helmet.
  • :* Luken sweord longe, leiden o þe helmen . — Layamon's Brut, 1275
  • :: (They drew their swords and put on their helmen .)
  • :* Þe helm of hel and þe swerd of þe Spirit. — An Apology for Lollard Doctrines, Attributed to Wycliffe, 1475
  • :* The kynge Ban be-gan to laugh vndir his helme . — Merlin, 1500
  • :* {{quote-book
  • , year=1927 , year_published=2008 , edition=HTML , editor= , author=Edgar Rice Burrows , title=The Outlaw of Torn , chapter= citation , genre= , publisher=The Gutenberg Project , isbn= , page= , passage="A fearful apparition," murmured Norman of Torn. "No wonder he keeps his helm closed." }}
  • A heavy cloud lying on the brow of a mountain.
  • (Halliwell)
    Derived terms
    * (l)

    Etymology 3