steam
steam — noun
1. the white mist that rises from very hot water as it reaches boiling temperature
the white mist that rises from very hot water as it reaches boiling temperature
Steam rose from the kettle as Kabir poured hot water into his cup.
steam + rises from [source]
The bathroom mirror was covered with steam after Madison's long shower.
collocation: covered with steam
Ife could see steam rising from the hot pavement after the rain stopped.
The steam from the cooking pot made the kitchen windows fog up.
- vapor
more general term; includes invisible gas as well as visible mist
- mist
focuses on the visible cloud of tiny water droplets rather than the hot gas itself
- condensation
refers specifically to the water that forms on a cool surface when steam touches it
用法筆記
Can appear in figurative idioms such as 'run out of steam' (lose energy) and 'let off steam' (release anger). As an uncountable noun, 'steams' is rare and usually refers to different types of vapor.
常見錯誤
steam — verb
1. to travel by a boat or train whose engine gets its energy from steam produced by
to travel by a boat or train whose engine gets its energy from steam produced by boiling water
The old train steamed through the countryside, carrying goods to the capital.
steam + through [location]
In the 1800s, passengers steamed from Europe to America in about two weeks.
Rodrigo's grandfather worked on a ship that steamed across the Atlantic Ocean.
The historic boat steamed slowly into the harbour on a foggy morning.
文法句型
steam + adverb
steam + preposition + place
用法筆記
Almost always used in historical or literary contexts. In modern everyday language, people are more likely to say 'went by train' or 'sailed.' Subject is typically a ship, train, or locomotive, not a person.
常見錯誤
2. to cook food by placing it above boiling water so the hot mist rises around it a
to cook food by placing it above boiling water so the hot mist rises around it and makes it soft and ready to eat
Sayaka steamed the fish with ginger and soy sauce for Sunday dinner.
steam + [food] with [seasoning]
Ilan prefers to steam his vegetables rather than boil or fry them.
The chef steamed the dumplings until the wrappers became soft and shiny.
Dewi learned how to steam rice perfectly from her grandmother in Java.
文法句型
steam + food
用法筆記
Often used with specific foods as direct object: fish, vegetables, rice, and dumplings are common. Many Asian cuisines feature steaming as a primary cooking method.
常見錯誤
3. to direct hot steam at a surface so that glue becomes soft and you can remove so
to direct hot steam at a surface so that glue becomes soft and you can remove something such as wallpaper, a stamp, or wrinkles from clothing
Élise steamed the old wallpaper off the kitchen walls before painting.
steam + [object] off [surface]
Pedro steamed the wrinkled suit jacket before his important job interview.
Darius steamed the envelope open to save the vintage stamp for his collection.
Christopher used a special machine to steam the creases out of the curtains.
文法句型
steam + object + off/from
用法筆記
The particle 'off' is common when removing something attached by glue ('steam off wallpaper'). 'Out of' is used for wrinkles. A garment steamer or steam iron is the typical tool.
常見錯誤
4. to send out visible white mist, especially when a hot surface or liquid meets co
to send out visible white mist, especially when a hot surface or liquid meets cooler air
The hot soup steamed on the table, filling the room with a rich smell.
Romi's breath steamed in the cold morning air as she walked to school.
breath + steams in cold air
The wet pavement steamed under the hot sun after the morning rain.
A pot of water was steaming on the stove when Madison walked into the kitchen.
文法句型
something steams
steam + adverb/prepositional phrase
用法筆記
The subject is usually something warm or hot that produces visible mist when it meets cooler conditions. Common subjects include breath on a cold day, hot food, wet ground in sunshine, and boiling water.
5. to feel extremely angry, especially when you keep the anger inside and do not sh
to feel extremely angry, especially when you keep the anger inside and do not show it or express it directly
Darius was steaming when he discovered someone had taken his reserved seat.
informal: was + steaming + when/because
An hour after the argument, Kabir was still steaming about the unfair criticism.
Rodrigo was steaming over the airline's decision to cancel his flight.
Ilan came home steaming because his boss had blamed him for someone else's mistake.
文法句型
someone is/was steaming
用法筆記
Common in informal conversation. Almost always appears in the progressive form ('was steaming,' 'is steaming'). The related adjective 'steamed' is also used informally to mean angry, as in 'I was so steamed.'