1. Water at boiling temperature diffused in the atmosphere
   "The steam rising from the hot springs created a misty atmosphere"
    
2. The strength or force, or enough activity and growth, to continue or grow stronger; capacity for further growth
   "the campaign is gaining steam";
   - momentum
    
3. (figurative) pent-up anger
   "he went outside to blow off some steam"

1. Cook something by letting steam pass over it
   "just steam the vegetables"
    
2. Emit steam
   "The rain forest was literally steaming"
    
3. Rise as vapour
   "Steam rose from the hot springs"
    
4. Clean by means of steaming
   "steam-clean the upholstered sofa";
   - steam clean
    
5. [informal] Get very agitated or angry
   "her indifference to his amorous advances really steamed the young man"
    
6. Travel by means of steam power
   "The ship steamed off into the Pacific";
   - steamer

1. Traditional, dated or old-fashioned; not digital or electronic
   "Many private aircraft owners are combining steam and glass gauges to get the best of both"

Derived forms: steaming, steamed, steams

Type of: anger, arise, clean, come up, cook, emit, give off, give out, go, go up, lift, locomote, move, move up, rise, see red [informal], travel, uprise [archaic, literary], vapor [US], vapour [Brit, Cdn]

Encyclopedia: Steam