steering wheel

[/ˈstɪrɪŋ wiːl/]
nounpl: steering wheels
volante
1. a circular or oval wheel that a driver grips and turns to control the direction of a vehicle
She grabbed the steering wheel tightly as she navigated the sharp curves.
Ela agarrou o volante com força enquanto navegava pelas curvas acentuadas.
2. the main control mechanism for directing a ship, boat, or aircraft
The captain took the steering wheel to guide the ship through the storm.
O capitão pegou no volante para guiar o navio através da tempestade.
In Brazilian Portuguese, 'volante' is the standard term used in everyday conversation and technical manuals. The expression 'estar ao volante' (to be at the steering wheel) is commonly used to mean someone is driving or in control. In American English, simply saying 'wheel' is often used colloquially in place of the full term.
NYC Slang
wheel
Synonyms / Sinônimos
wheelhelmsteering mechanism

Regional Variations

General Brazilian
volante
most common term used in everyday language
Rio de Janeiro
volante
standard usage, sometimes informally called 'roda'
São Paulo
volante
standard usage throughout the state
Portugal
volante
same as Brazilian Portuguese; sometimes 'roda de direcção' in formal contexts

Related Words

steering columnsteering shaftdriver's seatcontroldirection

Related Idioms & Phrases

take the steering wheel
behind the steering wheel
hands on the steering wheel
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