{
    "term": "steer",
    "partOfSpeech": "verb",
    "ox5000": true,
    "cefr": "c1",
    "verbForms": {
        "presentSimple": {
            "iYouWeThey": "steer",
            "heSheIt": "steers"
        },
        "pastSimple": "steered",
        "pastParticiple": "steered",
        "ingForm": "steering"
    },
    "definitions": [
        {
            "senseNumber": 1,
            "definition": "to control the direction in which a boat, car, etc. moves",
            "sensetop": "steer (something/somebody) (+ adv./prep.)",
            "labels": "(figurative)",
            "cefr": "c1",
            "examples": [
                {
                    "text": "He steered the boat into the harbour."
                },
                {
                    "text": "He took her arm and steered her towards the door."
                },
                {
                    "text": "You row and I'll steer."
                },
                {
                    "text": "He told the pilot to steer due north."
                },
                {
                    "text": "Johnson managed to steer the plane away from the town and crash-land in a nearby field."
                },
                {
                    "text": "Pilots need to learn to steer on the ground as well as in the air."
                },
                {
                    "text": "The boat was being steered by an elderly man."
                },
                {
                    "text": "The captain steered the boat into the narrow harbour."
                }
            ],
            "topics": [
                "Transport by water",
                "Transport by car or lorry",
                "Sports: water sports"
            ]
        },
        {
            "senseNumber": 2,
            "definition": "to move in a particular direction",
            "sensetop": "steer (something) (+ adv./prep.)",
            "cefr": "c1",
            "examples": [
                {
                    "text": "The ship **steered a course** between the islands."
                },
                {
                    "text": "The ship steered into port."
                },
                {
                    "text": "The ship steered into the harbour."
                },
                {
                    "text": "The car steered off the cliff."
                },
                {
                    "text": "The canoe steered north for two thousand miles."
                }
            ]
        },
        {
            "senseNumber": 3,
            "definition": "to take control of a situation and influence the way in which it develops",
            "sensetop": "steer something + adv./prep.",
            "cefr": "c1",
            "examples": [
                {
                    "text": "He managed to **steer the conversation** away from his divorce."
                },
                {
                    "text": "She steered the team to victory."
                },
                {
                    "text": "The skill is in steering a middle course between the two extremes."
                },
                {
                    "text": "Schools no longer steer girls towards arts subjects."
                }
            ]
        },
        {
            "senseNumber": null,
            "definition": "to avoid a person or thing because they may cause problems",
            "examples": [
                {
                    "text": "Steer clear of the centre of town at this time of the evening."
                }
            ]
        }
    ],
    "pronunciations": {
        "uk": [
            {
                "pronunciation": "/stɪə(r)/",
                "audio": "st/steer/steer__gb_1.mp3"
            },
            {
                "pronunciation": "/stɪəz/",
                "audio": "st/steer/steers__gb_1.mp3"
            },
            {
                "pronunciation": "/stɪəd/",
                "audio": "st/steer/steered__gb_1.mp3"
            },
            {
                "pronunciation": "/ˈstɪərɪŋ/",
                "audio": "st/steer/steering__gb_2.mp3"
            }
        ],
        "us": [
            {
                "pronunciation": "/stɪr/",
                "audio": "st/steer/steer__us_1.mp3"
            },
            {
                "pronunciation": "/stɪrz/",
                "audio": "st/steer/steers__us_1.mp3"
            },
            {
                "pronunciation": "/stɪrd/",
                "audio": "st/steer/steered__us_1.mp3"
            },
            {
                "pronunciation": "/ˈstɪrɪŋ/",
                "audio": "st/steer/steering__us_2.mp3"
            }
        ]
    },
    "wordOrigin": "verb Old English stīeran, of Germanic origin; related to Dutch sturen and German steuern."
}