No more, my goats, shall I belong you climb The steepy cliffs, or
crop the flow'ry thyme.
Dryden.
Steer (?), n. [OE. steer, AS. steór; akin to D. & G. stier a bull, OHG.
stior, Icel. stjrr, &?;jrr, Sw. tjur, Dan. tyr, Goth. stiur, Russ.
tur', Pol. tur, Ir. & Gael. tarbh, W. tarw, L. taurus, Gr. &?;, Skr.
sth&?;ra strong, stout, AS. stor large, Icel. strr, OHG. st&?;ri,
stiuri. √168. Cf. Stirk, Taurine, a.] A young male of the ox
kind; especially, a common ox; a castrated taurine male from two to
four years old. See the Note under Ox.
Steer, v. t. To castrate; -- said of male calves.
Steer, v. t. [imp. & p. p. Steered (?); p. pr. & vb. n. Steering.] [OE.
steeren, steren, AS. stiéran, st&?;ran, steóran; akin to OFries.
stiora, stiura, D. sturen, OD. stieren, G. steuren, OHG. stiuren to
direct, support, G. steuer contribution, tax, Icel. st&?;ra to steer,
govern,Sw. styra, Dan. styre, Goth. stiurjan to establish, AS. steór a
rudder, a helm, and probably to Icel. staurr a pale, stake, Gr. &?;,
and perhaps ultimately to E. stand. √168. Cf. Starboard, Stern,
n.] To direct the course of; to guide; to govern; -- applied especially
to a vessel in the water.
That with a staff his feeble steps did steer.
Spenser.
Steer, v. i. 1. To direct a vessel in its course; to direct one's
course. "No helmsman steers." Tennyson.
2. To be directed and governed; to take a direction, or course; to obey
the helm; as, the boat steers easily.
Where the wind Veers oft, as oft [a ship] so steers, and shifts her
sail.
Milton.