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American Dictionary of the English Language

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Steerage


STEERAGE, noun

1. The act or practice of directing and governing in a course; as the steerage of a ship.

[In this sense, I believe the word is now Little Used.]

2. In seamens language, the effort of a helm, or its effect on the ship.

3. In a ship, an apartment forward of the great cabin, from which it is separated by a bulk-head or partition, or an apartment in the fore part of a ship for passengers. In ships of war it serves as a hall or antichamber to the great cabin.

4. The part of a ship where the tiller traverses.

5. Direction; regulation.

He that hath the steerage of my course. [Little Used.]

6. Regulation or management.

You raise the honor of the peerage, proud to attend you at the steerage

7. That by which a course is directed.

Here he hung on high the steerage of his wings---

[Steerage, in the general sense of direction or management, is in popular use, but by no means an elegant word. It is said, a young man when he sets out in life, makes bad steerage; but no good writer would introduce the word into elegant writing.]