steam v.1
1. (orig. US) to be annoyed, to be angry, to talk aggressively.
| [ | ![[UK]](/static/img/flags/uk.png "United Kingdom") | Leaves from Diary of Celebrated Burglar 10/2: Joe was not much of a swearer, but all he knew in that line ‘steamed off’ just then at an amazing rate]. |
![[US]](/static/img/flags/us.png "United States") | Another Mug for the Bier 16: I steam easily. I reached out and tightened Courtney Mandrel’s expensive cravat as hard as I could. | |
| (con. 1913) in Heller In This Corner (1974) 42: I was only steaming. [...] I’m finished and I know it. I just wanted to say it for those reporters standing there. | |
| Wiseguy (2001) 114: Jimmy’s really steaming. | |
| Vinnie Got Blown Away 125: Then Dad came in steaming off the boozer, no one took notice, business as usual. | |
| Detroit Free Press (MI) 3 June 4/2: If you ask me if I’m angry — very juch so. If you ask me if I’m steaming — I’m steaming. | |
| [ | | Star-Gaz. (Elmira, NY) 16 June 30/4: I’m so mad I’m steaming]. |
| Hooky Gear 38: You fucked . . . summin J cos . . . hes steamin at y . . . you. | |
| Star-Gaz. (Elmira, NY) 5 Oct. A9/2: ‘I go to see Joe and I’m steaming. I told him, “I’m sick of this program.”’. |
2. (also get someone’s steam up) to annoy, to infuriate; note extrapolation in cit. 1990.
| Fashion V i: Can’t I knock him into a cocked hat with a word? And now he’s got my steam up – I will do it! | |
| Lead With Your Left (1958) 2: She said ‘childish’ to steam me. | |
| in Sweet Daddy 96: Whenever I talk about my old lady – kind of steams me. | |
| Homeboy 259: Doesn’t it steam your pumpkin that Archie [...] would be alive if Speaker had given up the ice? | |
| Happy Mutant Baby Pills 83: What he said took a while to sink in. Then it steamed me. |
In compounds
(S.Afr.) a person who incites another to commit a crime.
![[SA]](/static/img/flags/sa.png "South Africa") | Crime in S. Afr. 106: A ‘steam-up man’ is one who incites others to commit a criminal act. |
In phrases
1. (also get the steam up) to become angry or emotional; usu. as steamed (up) adj. (2)
| Fast Man 15:1 n.p.: From the appearance of the man in the bag truss, it was now evident, to use a vulgarism, he was ‘getting the steam up.’ In a few seconds, he was so swollen with excitement, that he smashed his cooked hat to atoms [etc]. | |
| Black-Eyed Beauty 13: Come, don’t you get the steam up only just on that, Bill. | |
| Somewhere in Red Gap 154: ‘St. John Hammersmith!’ says he, steaming up. |
2. to energize someone, to stimulate emotionally (or sexually), to arouse; to infuriate someone.
| Wildcat 183: Ol’ Vang Rouge sho’ steams a boy up, but it ain’t fillin’. | |
| in Collier’s 17 June 22/4: Are you asking me to go with you so’s to steam Rags Dempster up? | |
| (con. 1920s) Behind The Green Lights 333: Little Augie has got the news and he’s steaming up a lot of punks. | |
| Low Company 53: That was what it was, a stand-up. The soda jerker had steamed himself up all day and now he was in a frenzy with frustration. | |
| Street Corner Society (1955) 45: Sometimes, just to steam me up, Danny tells Spongi to send me on an errand. | |
| On the Waterfront (1964) 76: I didn’t tell you all this to steam you up. | |
 | Frozen Assets 61: She’s one of those calm, quiet girls you’d think nothing would steam up. |
3. to speak emotionally.
| ‘Raw, Medium, and Well Done’ in Blue Ribbon Western June 🌐 ‘What’s more,’ steams up Horse Tooth, ‘I knew that bum years ago [...] the big flounder-head borreys ten bucks from me and promptly forgets same.’. |
4. to get oneself drunk.
| Honest Rainmaker (1991) 25: The Chief, who had been steaming up on Creole coffee laced with contraband Cuban rum. |