steer clear
steer clear (idiom)
/stɪər klɪər/
Variants
- steer clear of
- stay clear of
- steer away from
Meanings
- Avoid or stay away from something or someone, especially to prevent trouble or danger.
- To deliberately avoid someone or something that might be unpleasant, harmful, or cause trouble.
- Stay entirely away from something or someone.
- To keep away from something bad.
- (Literal, historical) To guide a vessel so that it does not hit an obstacle.
Synonyms: avoid; shun; evade; steer away from; dodge; eschew; skirt; sidestep.
Example Sentences
- I steered clear of the crowded market to enjoy a quieter trip.
- Steer clear of controversy when discussing politics.
- It’s wise to steer clear of that neighborhood late at night.
- She decided to stay clear of gossip to maintain a professional image.
- People tend to steer clear of untested shortcuts—they prefer proven methods.
- (literal) The captain managed to steer clear of the hidden reef.
Origin and History
Nautical Origin
Most authorities agree the phrase grows directly from the literal verb steer — to guide a vessel — plus clear in the sense “away from” or “out of the way.” In that literal, nautical context a helmsman “steers clear” of rocks, shoals, other ships or hazards; the figurative idiom (to avoid people, situations or things) is widely understood as a straightforward metaphorical transfer of that practical seafaring instruction. This nautical explanation is the dominant and best-attested account in dictionaries and etymological references.
Linguistic Lineage
The verb steer is historically old in English (Old English stieran, related to Germanic forms meaning “guide” or “control”), and terms connected with steering are attested in medieval nautical and navigational vocabulary. From these literal senses the construction steer clear developed its figurative meaning “avoid completely” sometime in the early 18th century. Etymological accounts trace steer back to Old English and Proto-Germanic roots and note the figurative sense recorded in the early 1700s.
Country Of Origin
Because the verb steer and its figurative use appear first in English-language sources, and the earliest printed examples scholars cite come from English authors and English publishing contexts, the phrase’s origin is best located within the English language tradition — most plausibly Britain/England in the late 17th–early 18th century. Put simply: steer clear is an English idiom with British roots.
Earliest Printed Record
Standard etymological summaries give an early printed figurative attestation dated c. 1723. Several reference works point to early-18th-century prose as the first record of the figurative use “avoid.” Some notes identify Daniel Defoe’s work from that period (often cited as Colonel Jack, published 1722/1723) as an early context where steering language is used metaphorically, though precise first-instance quotations vary between sources.
In short: the figurative use is first attested in English printed sources in the early 1720s.
Citation Caveat
Authoritative historical dictionaries collect dated citations from printed sources and are the ultimate arbiters for exact first occurrences. Many summaries rely on their research. The safest scholarly statement is that the figurative sense is first attested in English printed sources in the early 1720s, rather than naming a definitive page and line without direct archival access.
Semantic Development
After the early-18th-century figurative shift, steer clear became an established idiom in general English to mean “keep entirely away from” or “avoid.” It appears in legal, journalistic, and everyday registers and is taught as a standard idiom in contemporary dictionaries and learner resources. The metaphor remains transparent (steering away from danger) and thus easily understood and productive in modern usage.
In summary, the phrase steer clear derives from the literal sea/navigation sense of steer, appears in English-language print in the early 18th century (commonly dated c. 1723), and most plausibly originated in Britain as a nautical metaphor that quickly broadened to general figurative use. Exact first citations are best confirmed through early-18th-century primary texts or historical dictionary archives.
Share your opinions