steamroller

[steem-roh-ler] /ˈstimˌroʊ lər/
noun
1.
a heavy steam-powered vehicle having a roller for crushing, compacting, or leveling materials used for a road or the like.
2.
(not in technical use) any similar vehicle with a roller.
3.
an overpowering force, especially one that crushes all opposition with ruthless disregard for individual rights.
verb (used with object)
4.
to crush or flatten with a steamroller.
5.
to overcome with superior force:
to steamroller the competition.
6.
to bring about the adoption of by overwhelming pressure:
to steamroller the resolution through.
verb (used without object)
7.
to proceed with implacable force.
adjective
8.
suggestive of a steamroller; ruthlessly overpowering:
steamroller tactics.
Origin
1865-70; steam + roller1
Examples from the web for steamroller
  • As the thunderstorm forms, rising air tilts this steamroller on its end.
  • There's no other way to avoid being run over by their steamroller.
  • The goal is for the steamroller to crush the fake cigarettes.
  • The motor was not driving asocial steamroller, flattening all participants into homogeneous pieces of a puzzle.
  • What had been generally a steamroller of a movement among workers and managers now slowed down considerably.
  • It seems that every couple of baskets is a dunk by a steamroller no one could possibly stop.
  • Buster the steamroller, a member of the pack, has also appeared in the tv series.
British Dictionary definitions for steamroller

steamroller

/ˈstiːmˌrəʊlə/
noun
1.
  1. a steam-powered vehicle with heavy rollers at the front and rear used for compressing road surfaces during road-making
  2. another word for roadroller
2.
  1. an overpowering force or a person with such force that overcomes all opposition
  2. (as modifier): steamroller tactics
verb
3.
(transitive) to crush (opposition, etc) by overpowering force
Slang definitions & phrases for steamroller

steamroller

verb

To dominate and crush; achieve by sheer force; snowball: The governor tried to steamroller the bill through (1912+)