steam up
To get foggy from steam (like a mirror after a shower), or to make someone really angry.
Meanings
To become covered with condensation or steam, making it hard to see through.
"My glasses steamed up the moment I walked into the warm kitchen."
To make someone angry, agitated, or very excited; often used in the passive ('get steamed up').
"Don't get so steamed up about a minor mistake — just fix it and move on."
"Don't get all steamed up. It's not worth it."
— Common idiomatic usage widely attested in American English literature and film (general attribution)
To heat food or a container using steam.
"Steam up the pudding for twenty minutes before serving."
The physical sense is very common in British English for glasses and windows. The emotional sense ('all steamed up') is informal and means agitated or angry; it is often used in the passive or as an adjective phrase.
Commonly used with
Forms
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Synonyms
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