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Definition of steer verb from the Oxford Advanced Learner's Dictionary

steer

verb
 
 
/stɪə(r)/
 
/stɪr/
Verb Forms
present simple I / you / we / they steer
 
/stɪə(r)/
 
/stɪr/
he / she / it steers
 
/stɪəz/
 
/stɪrz/
past simple steered
 
/stɪəd/
 
/stɪrd/
past participle steered
 
/stɪəd/
 
/stɪrd/
-ing form steering
 
/ˈstɪərɪŋ/
 
/ˈstɪrɪŋ/
Idioms
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  1.  
    [transitive, intransitive] steer (something/somebody) (+ adv./prep.) to control the direction in which a boat, car, etc. moves
    • He steered the boat into the harbour.
    • (figurative) He took her arm and steered her towards the door.
    • You row and I'll steer.
    Extra Examples
    • He told the pilot to steer due north.
    • Johnson managed to steer the plane away from the town and crash-land in a nearby field.
    • Pilots need to learn to steer on the ground as well as in the air.
    • The boat was being steered by an elderly man.
    • The captain steered the boat into the narrow harbour.
    Topics Transport by waterc1, Transport by car or lorryc1, Sports: water sportsc1
  2.  
    [transitive, intransitive] steer (something) (+ adv./prep.) (of a boat, car, etc.) to move in a particular direction
    • The ship steered a course between the islands.
    • The ship steered into port.
    Extra Examples
    • The ship steered into the harbour.
    • The car steered off the cliff.
    • The canoe steered north for two thousand miles.
  3.  
    [transitive] steer something + adv./prep. to take control of a situation and influence the way in which it develops
    • He managed to steer the conversation away from his divorce.
    • She steered the team to victory.
    • The skill is in steering a middle course between the two extremes.
    • Schools no longer steer girls towards arts subjects.
    4. Word Originverb Old English stīeran, of Germanic origin; related to Dutch sturen and German steuern.
Idioms
keep/stay/steer clear (of somebody/something)
  1. to avoid a person or thing because they may cause problems
    • Steer clear of the centre of town at this time of the evening.
See steer in the Oxford Advanced American DictionarySee steer in the Oxford Learner's Dictionary of Academic English
Check pronunciation: steer

Nearby words

dizzy
adjective
 
 
From the Topic
Health problems
C1
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