Forms: 5–7 sterage, 6–7 stirrage, 7 stearage, -idge, (styrage, stieridge), 7–8 steeridge, (7 -edge, 8 -adge), 6– steerage. [f. STEER v.1 + -AGE.]
1. The action, practice or method of steering a boat or ship; the guidance of a balloon or airship, rarely of a carriage.
c. 1450. Brut, II. 435. The foreseide barge, thorough mysgouernaunce of sterage, fill vpon the pilis.
1599. Hakluyt, Voy., I. 602. The English shippes vsing their prerogatiue of nimble stirrage … came often times very neere vpon the Spaniards.
1654. J. P[rice], Tyrants & Protectors Set forth, 33. These Pilots by their ill steerage did split their Vessels.
1719. De Foe, Crusoe, I. (Globe), 193. Having a strong Steerage with my Paddle, I went at a great Rate, directly for the Wreck.
1791. Smeaton, Edystone L., § 93. The carriages … [having] a draught-tree for steerage and yoking the cattle to.
1805. Ld. Collingwood, in Nicolas, Disp. Nelson (1846), VII. 242. Had we to pass them from the leeward, it would have been still more difficult, as it required nice steerage.
1914. Q. Rev., April, 346. He discussed the problems of the propulsion and the steerage of such a body [sc. a balloon].
b. transf. of an animal or person.
1599. T. M[oufet], Silkworms, 73. When afterward … The Flies haue bor’d a passage through their clewes, Obserue their gate and steerage al along.
1774. Ann. Reg., Misc., 193/1. If I am not very accurate in my steerage, I am sure to tumble over a pail.
c. Phrase. (To be, stand) at the steerage. lit. and fig.
1688. Lond. Gaz., No. 2322/3. The Grand Signior went … in a Barge of 28 Oars,… the Bostangi Bachi … being … at the Steerage.
1731. Swift, On Death Swift, 413. While they who at the steerage stood, And reap’d the profit, sought his blood. Ibid. (1733), On Poetry, 456. You raise the honour of the peerage, Proud to altend you at the steerage.
d. Of a ship: The action, method or ability of answering to the helm.
1653. Fight Legorn-Road, 16. Likewise was the Dutch Admiral singled out, and to the weatherward (which was occasioned by loss of her Stearidge, having her Rudder shot, as I heard).
1745. P. Thomas, Jrnl. Anson’s Voy., 146. She [the Gloucester] was long in waring, roll’d very much, and made bad Steerage.
1769. Falconer, Dict. Marine (1776), Steerage is also used to express the effort of the helm; and hence Steerage-way is [etc.].
2. † a. Management (of goods). Obs.
1487. Sc. Acts Parlt. (1814), II. 178/2. Na man sale in the saidis partis in the way of merchandice bot … men haifand … half a last of gudis or samekle in sterage and gouernance.
b. The direction or government of affairs, the State, one’s life. (Often with conscious metaphor.)
1592. Shaks., Rom. & Jul., I. iv. 112. But he that hath the stirrage of my course, Direct my sute [1597 Qo. saile].
1636. E. Dacres, trans. Machiavel’s Disc. Livy, Ep. Ded. Your Grace may doe well to inable your selfe for the service of your Prince and Country, that being cald for into the steerage in turbulent times, not favour onely may give you a place there.
1688. Bp. Thomas, in Gutch, Coll. Cur., I. 332. I pray God direct and prosper his steerage of the Church of England in these tempestuous times.
1783. Cowper, Let. J. Newton, 15 Dec., Wks. 1837, XV. 142. But now we float … as the wind drives us; for want of … that steerage which invention … may be expected to supply.
1808. Scott, Marmion, I. Introd. 116. [He] With dying hand the rudder held, Till, in his fall, with fateful sway, The steerage of the realm gave way!
1831. W. L. Bowles, Life Bp. Kent, II. xi. 190. Under the firm steerage of Walpole … the vessel of state held its way through all the storms of faction.
c. A course held or steered, esp. a course of conduct.
a. 1625[?]. Webster & Rowley, Cure for Cuckold, IV. ii. He bore his steerage true in every part, Led by the Compass of a noble heart.
1645. Milton, Tetrach., 41. If we marke the stearage of his words, what course they hold.
1789. Triumphs Fortitude, I. 45. I would wish always to keep a steerage, rather than to be carried away by the stream of dissipation.
1827. B’ness Bunsen, in Hare, Life, I. viii. 296. There are no rocks, no shoals, for him whose steerage is ever regulated according to the true compass of the soul.
3. The steering apparatus a. of a boat.
1857. P. Colquhoun, Comp. Oarsman’s Guide, 30. The term steerage includes yoke-lines, yoke, and rudder.
1869. R. H. Blake-Humfrey, Eton Boating Bk. (1875), 45, note. This year [1845] … Silver Oars and Steerage [were given] to the winners of the Pulling.
b. of an agricultural machine. In quot. attrib.
1884. West Sussex Gaz., 25 Sept. Capital front-steerage 13-coulter seed and corn drill,… steerage horse hoe.
c. Steerage of his wings: Dryden’s rendering of L. remigium alarum, meaning wings viewed as instruments of rowing.
1697. Dryden, Æneis, VI. 24. Dedalus … here alighting, built this costly Frame. Inscrib’d to Phœbus, here he hung on high The steerage of his Wings. Ibid. (1700), Ceyx & Alcyone, 351. Then lays aside the steerage of his Wings, Forsakes his proper Form, assumes the Kings?
1870. Jean Ingelow, Four Sonnets, iv. When … Down the steep slope of a long sunbeam brought, He [i.e., the eagle] stirs the wheat with the steerage of his wings.
4. That division of the after part of a ship that is immediately in front of the chief cabin; the second cabin. Also called † steerage room.
In the 16th and 17th c. this was the place from which the ship was steered. Early in the 18th c. the wheel was placed on the open deck, so that the vessel was no longer steered from the ‘steerage,’ which, however, retained its name.
1612. Coverte, Voy., 24. The Merchants had some 10000 l. lying betweene the maine Maste and the Stearidge.
1627. Capt. Smith, Sea Gram., ii. 11. The Stearage. The Stearage roome, is before the great Cabin, where he that steareth the Ship doth alwaies stand.
1644. Manwayring, Seamans Dict., The Stieridge is the place where they Steere, out of which they may see the leech of the sailes.
1726. Shelvocke, Voy. round World, 25. This insolence being carried on in the steeradge.
1769. Falconer, Dict. Marine (1780), Steerage, an apartment without the great cabin of a ship, from which it is separated by a thin partition. In large ships of war it is used as a hall through which it is necessary to pass, to arrive at, or depart from the great cabin. In merchant-ships it is generally the habitation of the inferior officers and ship’s crew.
1834. Marryat, P. Simple, xvi. I went down into the most solitary place in the steerage, that I might enjoy it [a letter] without interruption.
1840. R. H. Dana, Bef. Mast, xxiii. 71. The mate came down into the steerage, in fine trim for fun.
1864. Semmes, Cruise Alabama & Sumter, 98. Passing through the wardroom, the visitor entered the gunroom, or ‘steerage,’ allotted on the starboard side to the midshipmen, and on the port to the engineers.
1867. Smyth, Sailor’s Word-bk., Steerage,… that part of the ship next below the quarter-deck, immediately before the bulkhead of the great cabin in most ships of war. The portion of the ’tween-decks just before the gun-room bulkhead.
5. The part of a passenger ship allotted to those passengers who travel at the cheapest rate. Also quasi-advb. in to go, travel steerage.
The steerage is now usually in the bow and on a lower deck.
1804. W. Irving, Life & Lett. (1864), I. 94. They sleep in the steerage, and leave the cabin to myself.
1816. R. Buchanan, Propelling Vessels by Steam, 24. Before the engine is the steerage or second cabin.
1822. J. Flint, Lett. fr. America, 287. There were twelve cabin passengers … and about an equal number of persons in the steerage.
1844. Dickens, Mart. Chuz., xvii. It being necessary for me to observe strict economy, I took my passage in the steerage.
1892. E. Reeves, Homeward Bound, 124. In the steerage we are told the thermometer reaches 109° in the shade. In our saloon 90° to 100° is the highest.
1906. Westm. Gaz., 20 June, 4/2. He travelled steerage with a ship of emigrants.
6. attrib. and Comb., as steerage door, -hole, -house, passage, -power; steerage country U.S., the open space in the middle of the steerage of a man-of-war, not occupied by berths or state-rooms (Cent. Dict.); steerage mess, steerage officer U.S. (see quots.); steerage-passenger, one who occupies a berth in the steerage (sense 5) of a passenger-vessel; † steerage room = sense 4; steerage-way, a way or motion sufficient for the helm to have effect; also fig.
a. 1625. N. Roberts, in Purchas, Pilgrims, II. 1578. Putting his foot against the *Steeredge doore.
1855. Browning, Bp. Blougram’s Apol., 357. Though you proved me doomed To a viler berth still, to the *steerage-hole.
1842. Dickens, Amer. Notes, xi. (1850), 108/2. There is no visible deck, even: nothing but a long, black, ugly roof…; above which tower two iron chimneys … and a glass *steerage-house.
1891. H. Patterson, Naut. Dict., 364. *Steerage Mess. This mess is composed of midshipmen, ensigns, clerks and mates. Ibid., 386. *Steerage Officers, midshipmen, cadet midshipmen, mates, cadet engineers, and ensigns when they do not perform duty as regular watch officers.
1849. Lever, Con Cregan, xix. I. 298. I took a *steerage passage.
1822. J. Flint, Lett. fr. America, 91. A *steerage passenger pays only about half the freight that is charged for a passage in the cabin of a ship.
1840. Hood, Up the Rhine, 50. The deck of a steamer is supposed to be divided amidships by an imaginary line, aft of which the steerage passengers are expected not to intrude.
1869. Chamb. Jrnl., 29 May, 338/1. By making the paddle-wheels revolve in opposite directions … perfect *steerage-power is obtained.
1626. Capt. Smith, Accid. Yng. Seamen, 11. In the *stearage roome, the whip, the bittakell, the trauas boord, the Compasse.
1769. Falconer, Dict. Marine (1780), Z 3 b. A … ship … in a very light wind, and scarcely having *steerage-way.
1868. Lowell, Among my Bks., Ser. I. Shaks. once more (1870), 211. Hamlet … never keeps on one tack long enough to get steerage-way.
