steerage

/ˈstɪrɪdʒ/
noun
  1. The part of a passenger ship with the cheapest accommodations, originally near the steering mechanism.
    • The conditions in steerage were cramped and uncomfortable.
    • Many immigrants traveled in steerage to start a new life in America.
    • She wrote a book about her grandmother's journey across the Atlantic in steerage.
  2. The act or manner of steering a vehicle, ship, or aircraft.
    • Good steerage requires constant attention to the wind and currents.
    • The captain was responsible for the steerage of the ship through the narrow channel.
    • The new autopilot system improved the steerage of the boat.
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