steam off

Related to steam off: a head of steam, full steam ahead, picking up steam, ran out of steam, running out of steam

steam off

1. To depart under the power of a steam engine. The pier was filled with friends and family members watching as their loved ones steamed off on the ship to America. The conductor gave one final blow of his whistle before the train steamed off from the station.
2. To leave or depart in a very angry and animated manner. After being told she couldn't watch any more television, the child threw down her toys and steamed off in a huff. I told Mark that we should break up, and he steamed off without a word.
3. To remove something (from something else) with the application of steam. In this usage, a noun or pronoun can be used between "steam" and "off." My grandmother was incredibly frugal. She even used to steam stamps off of letters so she could reuse them again. You have to steam these seals off if you don't want to damage the paper underneath.
4. To make one especially annoyed or irate. In this usage, a noun or pronoun can be used between "steam" and "off." As a doctor, it really steams me off when people start lecturing me on the medical benefits of some unproven pseudoscience or another. I think you steamed off the boss when you questioned his judgment in front of everyone at the meeting.
See also: off, steam
Farlex Dictionary of Idioms.

steam something off (of) something

 and steam something
to loosen and remove something by an application of steam. (Of is usually retained before pronouns.) Toby steamed the old paper off the wall. Toby steamed off the old wallpaper.
See also: off, steam
McGraw-Hill Dictionary of American Idioms and Phrasal Verbs.
See also:
  • steam out
  • steam out of (something or some place)
  • steam into (some place)
  • steam in
  • steam across
  • steam across (something or some place)
  • steam ahead
  • run off
  • depart for (some place)
  • depart for some place
References in periodicals archive
After a ten-minute steam off Hendon Lycett was straight into codling, mostly around 2lb which were returned, but also taking four around 4lb, his best two 6lb and 7lb.
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I was just blowing the steam off of my chai latte when I heard some familiar squeals.
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Most people use towels, tissues or their fingers to clear steam off the mirror to comb their hair.
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Analysts believe Opec - and Saudi Arabia in particular - has little headroom to pump extra oil to cover the loss of production elsewhere and take the steam off prices.
Oil threat hangs over global economic boom
Whitsbury Cross followed up his win at Newmarket over a mile at the end of May with a half-length success at Salisbury over this trip, but he ran out of steam off a 4lb higher mark seven days ago, fading into fifth.
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Hankies flutter, mum dabs her eyes, right, while a Liz Taylor-look-alike, centre, watches her Cunard Yank boyfriend steam off across the Atlantic as Sylvania
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Imagine waking up as you do every morning, taking your usual shower, drying off, wiping the steam off the mirror so you can get a good look at yourself and seeing nothing reflected back.
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"They're really letting [food] steam off." Consumers are asking why it takes so long, related Krengel.
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"Then he leaned over her back and gently, thoroughly, starting once more at the nape of her neck, licked it all off." Pardon me while I wipe the steam off my spectacles!
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When I met my biological parents I experienced overwhelming physical recognition, like wiping steam off a mirror and seeing myself for the first time.
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In derbies neither side would give you the steam off their half-time cuppa.
Merseyside derby memories are made of this
I wouldn't share the steam off my stovies with either of them - especially Gregg.
I've had my fill of telly cook-offs
The Royal Train waits at Euston to steam off into the night.
The Royal Train waits at Euston... and we're on the road again; As Prince Charles begins his week-long summer tour of Wales today, Manon Williams, his Private Secretary for Wales, takes a peek at what lies ahead in the first instalment of a daily diary that will give the inside track on the royal journey. So follow Manon's intriguing journal tomorrow and all next week in the Western Mail
Well, ideally it would be pumping a bit more oil to take a little steam off prices and keep demand steady.
The impact of high oil prices on Gulf economies