raise steam

raise steam (third-person singular simple present raises steam, present participle raising steam, simple past and past participle raised steam)

1. (engineering, nautical, rail transport) To build up a useful head (pressure level) of steam in a steam-engined vehicle's boiler.
   • 1945 January and February, “Notes and News: Locomotive Firing with Turf”, in Railway Magazine, page 46:

     […] the fireman has to divide his time between getting up into the bunker to throw more turfs into the cab, and getting down on his hands and knees to get it into the firebox, and even then a reserve supply of turf must be carried on a truck behind the engine, and stops must be made on each steep ascent to raise more steam.