head of steam: difference between revisions
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m replace <* {{audio|en|en-au-head of steam.ogg|Audio (AU)}}> with <* {{audio|en|en-au-head of steam.ogg|a=AU}}> (clean up audio captions) |
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==English== |
==English== |
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{{rfc}} |
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===Etymology=== |
===Etymology=== |
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The [[Appendix:Glossary#figurative|figurative]] sense is by [[metaphor]] from the literal one: the need of the [[boiler]] of a steam [[locomotive]] to exceed a minimum amount of pressure before the locomotive could start moving. |
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===Pronunciation=== |
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* {{audio|en|en-au-head of steam.ogg|a=AU}} |
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===Noun=== |
===Noun=== |
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{{en-noun|head=[[head]] [[of]] [[steam]]|heads of steam}} |
{{en-noun|head=[[head#English:_pressure and energy in fluid dynamics|head]] [[of]] [[steam]]|heads of steam}} |
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# {{ |
# {{lb|en|idiomatic}} A significant amount of [[energy]], [[vigour]] or [[momentum]], sufficient to make progress or succeed in a task. |
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#* {{quote-book|1=en|year=1919|author=w:Joseph Conrad|title=Typhoon|page=|passage="They were keeping a full head of steam, and a profound rumbling, as of an empty furniture van trotting over a bridge, made a sustained bass to all the other noises of the place."}} |
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#* {{quote-journal|en|year=1945|month=September and October|author=O. S. Nock|title=Wartime Locomotive Working on the G.W.R.—2|journal=Railway Magazine|page=255|text=Soon after passing the site of Stretfordbridge Junction Edwards opened out to 25 per cent; boiler pressure was still full up, and Taylor was spreading what was left of the fire so as to arrive in Shrewsbury with only a light '''head of steam'''.}} |
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|year=2011 |
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#* {{quote-journal|en|year=1961|month=March|author="Dalmore"|title=Driving and firing modern French steam steam locomotives|journal=Trains Illustrated|page=150|text=[literal sense] Caffiers and Boulogne were passed with a full boiler and a full '''head of steam''', and going up Neufchâtel I couldn't stop her blowing off.}} |
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|author=Paul Fletcher |
|author=Paul Fletcher |
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|title=Arsenal 3 - 0 Ipswich (agg 3 - 1) |
|title=Arsenal 3 - 0 Ipswich (agg 3 - 1) |
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|passage=Arsenal were starting to work up a '''head of steam''' and Tractor Boys boss Paul Jewell cut an increasingly frustrated figure on the touchline.}} |
|passage=Arsenal were starting to work up a '''head of steam''' and Tractor Boys boss Paul Jewell cut an increasingly frustrated figure on the touchline.}} |
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#* {{quote-journal|en|date=2021 March 10|author=Greg Morse|title=Telling the railway's story on film|journal=RAIL|issue=926|page=43|text=[literal sense] The film is really about the driver taking control of his charge... the fireman creating a fine '''head of steam'''... the signalman keeping the traffic moving safely... [...].}} |
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# {{&lit|en|head#English:_pressure and energy in fluid dynamics|steam}} |
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====Related terms==== |
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{{col3|en |
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|{{l|en|steam up#English:_build up a head of steam, intransitively}} |
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Latest revision as of 08:02, 2 June 2024
English
[edit]Etymology
[edit]The figurative sense is by metaphor from the literal one: the need of the boiler of a steam locomotive to exceed a minimum amount of pressure before the locomotive could start moving.
Pronunciation
[edit]Audio (General Australian): (file)
Noun
[edit]head of steam (plural heads of steam)
- (idiomatic) A significant amount of energy, vigour or momentum, sufficient to make progress or succeed in a task.
- 1919, Joseph Conrad, Typhoon:
- "They were keeping a full head of steam, and a profound rumbling, as of an empty furniture van trotting over a bridge, made a sustained bass to all the other noises of the place."
- 1945 September and October, O. S. Nock, “Wartime Locomotive Working on the G.W.R.—2”, in Railway Magazine, page 255:
- Soon after passing the site of Stretfordbridge Junction Edwards opened out to 25 per cent; boiler pressure was still full up, and Taylor was spreading what was left of the fire so as to arrive in Shrewsbury with only a light head of steam.
- 1961 March, "Dalmore", “Driving and firing modern French steam steam locomotives”, in Trains Illustrated, page 150:
- [literal sense] Caffiers and Boulogne were passed with a full boiler and a full head of steam, and going up Neufchâtel I couldn't stop her blowing off.
- 2011 January 25, Paul Fletcher, “Arsenal 3 - 0 Ipswich (agg 3 - 1)”, in BBC[1]:
- Arsenal were starting to work up a head of steam and Tractor Boys boss Paul Jewell cut an increasingly frustrated figure on the touchline.
- 2021 March 10, Greg Morse, “Telling the railway's story on film”, in RAIL, number 926, page 43:
- [literal sense] The film is really about the driver taking control of his charge... the fireman creating a fine head of steam... the signalman keeping the traffic moving safely... [...].
- Used other than figuratively or idiomatically: see head, steam.