Green’s Dictionary of Slang

1. drunk.

1860		Spirit of Democracy (Woodsfield, OH) 25 July 4/1: Synonyms [for drunk] [...] drenched, soaked, mellow, having steam up, oblivious, addled.
1918		H. Simon ‘Prison Dict.’ in AS VIII:3 (1933) 32/1: STEAMED UP. Intoxicated.
1928		J. Callahan Man’s Grim Justice 292: Give me another shot [...] I got to be all steamed up before I can look at one of these burning parties.
1936		K. Mackenzie Living Rough 239: The noise had been caused by a couple of hoboes who had just come from town and were both steamed up.
1971		L. Sanders Pleasures of Helen 228: In truth she was getting a mite steamed. The drinks were tall.
1981		T. Wilkinson Down and Out 119: I got a bit fucking steamed up.
1998		G. Burn Happy Like Murderers 276: Anna got drunk. She got steamed. Even at twelve she was a good drinker.
2001		G. Coughlan Everyday Eng. and Sl. 🌐 Steamed, Steamboats (v): very drunk – ‘we’re getting steamed (steamboats) tonight’.

2. tense, annoyed [steam up under steam v.¹ ].

1923		H.C. Witwer Fighting Blood 252: Roma gets a bit steamed up over the fact that I am not paying her enough attention.
1938		D. Runyon ‘Social Error’ in Runyon on Broadway (1954) 460: Dave the Dude is pretty much steamed up.
1946		Mezzrow & Wolfe Really the Blues 54: I’ve never been so steamed up before or since.
1953		T.A.G. Hungerford Riverslake 221: Cripes! [...] Was he steamed up!
1953		I. Hamilton Till Human Voices Wake Us 27: I can’t get steamed up about obvious windiness.
1955		B. Schulberg On the Waterfront (1964) 273: Waiting to see what the steamed-up kid was going to do.
1957		‘Ed Lacy’ Lead With Your Left (1958) 2: She had that nasty shrillness to her voice that reminded me of Mom when she was steamed.
1960		‘Nino Culotta’ Cop This Lot 90: They looked surprised. ‘Keep yer shirt on, mate. That’s O.K. with us. Wotta y’all steamed up about?’.
1968		J. Alard He who Shoots Last 69: What are you getting all steamed up about?
1970		Meyer & Ebert Beyond Valley of the Dolls [film script] Porter’s all steamed ujp. Too much partying.
1971		Wodehouse Much Obliged, Jeeves 88: I knew she was getting steamed up, for if she had been her calm self, she would have said ‘Sorry, I don’t get you’.
1981		G.V. Higgins Rat on Fire (1982) 90: You’re wrong about Clinker. He was all steamed up.
1985		N. Pileggi Wiseguy (2001) 57: Karen comes charging out the car door. It was like a hit. She’s really steamed.
1993		A. Rodriguez Spidertown (1994) 146: I gotta tell you I was a little steamed about it, pana.
1999		Guardian Editor 8 Oct. 5: No wonder the Sun got steamed up about ‘Mile-High-Mandy’.
2008		T. Piccirilli Fever Kill 27: You get a little steamed so you take him out of the game.
2012		(con. 1943) G.S. Manson Coorparoo Blues [ebook] ‘[Y]ou could be smokin’ my peg with a mouthful of ice, and I’d still be steamed up’.

3. excited.

1920		R. Lardner Big Town 140: I went back to the gals and told them I’d met the guy. They was all steamed up.
1930		W.R. Burnett Iron Man 120: You’re all steamed up over that fight, that’s all.
1946		Mezzrow & Wolfe Really the Blues 194: I played the second harmony sax part along with him, and that got him steamed up some.
1955		‘Blackie’ Audett Rap Sheet 113: Johnny, he was all steamed up, too.
1969		N. Cohn Awopbop. (1970) 43: And when he got steamed up, he’d sweat like mad.
1979		A. Payne ‘The Dessert Song’ Minder [TV script] 61: Yeah ... getting you all steamed up.
1991		(con. 1920s) O.D. Brooks Legs 176: I couldn’t believe how steamed up he was about the job.

4. sexually excited.

1937		D. Fuchs Low Company 221: He was all steamed up.
1950		Goldin et al. DAUL 209/1: Steamed up. 1. Erotically stimulated.
1957		R. Prather Always Leave ’Em Dying 69: I got all steamed up like a pants presser, to tell you the truth.
1963		in T.I. Rubin Sweet Daddy 54: Guess watching [intercourse] and all gets a guy steamed.
1979		B. Gutcheon New Girls (1982) 138: Terry gets so steamed up just from kissing me.
2000		Guardian G2 17 Feb. 12: Why can’t she understand when people get steamed up about them?

5. (drugs) under the effects of a ‘recreational’ drug.

1949		H.C. Bosman Cold Stone Jug (1981) II 21: He was all steamed up with dagga and he was as calm as you please.
1959		J.E. Schmidt Narcotics Lingo and Lore.