News0 min ago
What's "a head of steam"?
1 Answers
Please, help me to make out this excerpt:
"The place had already been searched, numerous times. (But the evidence hadn't been found). (Inspector) spent the past two days building a head of steam before he finally pulled out a rare piece of theatrics, ranting and railing that the place could never have been searched properly. The only thing that was going to satisfy him: he was going over and doing it himself... Properly this time, mind."
What had the inspector been doing the past two days? Thanks a lot!
"The place had already been searched, numerous times. (But the evidence hadn't been found). (Inspector) spent the past two days building a head of steam before he finally pulled out a rare piece of theatrics, ranting and railing that the place could never have been searched properly. The only thing that was going to satisfy him: he was going over and doing it himself... Properly this time, mind."
What had the inspector been doing the past two days? Thanks a lot!
Answers
Only 1 answer
Best Answer
No best answer has yet been selected by iirochka. Once a best answer has been selected, it will be shown here.
For more on marking an answer as the "Best Answer", please visit our FAQ.
In this context, the original phrase relates to a steam powered engine... usually a railroad locomotive. Before the locomotive can move it must first build a "head of steam". A cold or stopped steam engine must first have a fire started and the water turned to steam before opening valves to have it enter cylinders... So it (the steam) has to build up to a certain pressure before it's usable. This Inspector stewed about the situation and "built up a head of steam", i.e., became agitated before releasing the pressure into action...
Only 1 answer
