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Steer vs Steerageway - What's the difference?

steer | steerageway |

As nouns the difference between steer and steerageway

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 steerageway is (nautical) the minimum speed of a ship, below which it does not answer the helm and cannot be steered.

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)

    Anagrams

    * English ergative verbs

    steerageway

    English

    Alternative forms

    * steerage way * steerage-way

    Noun

    (en noun)
  • (nautical) The minimum speed of a ship, below which it does not answer the helm and cannot be steered.
  • * 1902 - , chapter XII
    • The latter made one tremendous spurt, then gave up in despair and hauled in his oars. French Pete let go the main-sheet, lost steerageway as he rounded up alongside the motionless skiff, and dragged Joe out.