under one's own steam

== English == === Etymology === A reference to the operation of a steam engine: see sense 1. === Pronunciation === (Received Pronunciation) IPA(key): /ˌʌndə ˈwʌnz əʊn ˈstiːm/ (General American) IPA(key): /ˌʌndɚ ˈwʌnz oʊn ˈstim/ Rhymes: -iːm Hyphenation: un‧der one's own steam === Prepositional phrase === under one's own steam (nautical, rail transport) Of the movement of a locomotive or a watercraft: by means of the power of its own engines (originally steam engines), rather than pulled or pushed by another vehicle. (idiomatic, figuratively) Using one's own resources; independently, unaided. At one's own initiative; of one's own accord, unbidden, unprompted. ==== Translations ==== === References === === Further reading === “under one’s own steam, phrase”, in Lexico, Dictionary.com; Oxford University Press, 2019–2022.