live steam

[ lahyv ]
/ laɪv /

noun

steam direct from the boiler and at full pressure, ready for use in work.
steam that has performed no work or only part of its work.

Origin of live steam

An Americanism dating back to 1870–75

Example sentences from the Web for live steam

  • He peeled off the helmet and unzipped the suit which was reaching the thermal levels of a live-steam bath.

    Master of the Moondog |Stanley Mullen

British Dictionary definitions for live steam

live steam
/ (laɪv) /

noun

steam supplied directly from a boiler at full pressure, before it has performed any work