Language: en
Meaning: (idiomatic)Reliable,composedcontrol(of an organization or situation).1982January 25, Leonard Sloane, “Business People: Challenge at Varityper”, inNew York Times, retrieved6 February 2018:The new president of the Varityper division of the financially troubled AM International, Joseph A. Verderber, knows that he has his work cut out for him. . . . "My challenge in a ship that big is to make certain that it has a goodsteady hand on the tiller."2008October 8,David Von Drehle, “Obama Plays Ball Control in Second Debate”, inTime, retrieved6 February 2018:"My hero," McCain declared, is Theodore Roosevelt, who said, "Walk softly, and carry a big stick." . . . McCain was left with this: "When times are tough, we need asteady hand on the tiller."2009July 16, Julia Kollewe, “Currency trader Joe Lewis takes seat on board of Mitchells & Butlers”, inGuardian, UK, retrieved6 February 2018:Analyst Mark Brumby at Astaire said: ". . . The share register remains skewed but the current shareholders are likely to have learned from the mistakes of the past and, it is to be hoped, will provide asteady hand on the tiller."; (idiomatic,by extension)A person exhibiting such control.2000December 14,Tony Karon, “How the World Sees President Bush”, inTime, retrieved6 February 2018:[T]heir expressions of confidence in the new Bush administration were likely heartfelt — officials around the world reminisced enthusiastically about the scion of a president best remembered as a sober andsteady hand on the tillerof foreign policy.2005October 28, David Gritten, “I was so fearful of breaking the spell”, inTelegraph, UK, retrieved6 February 2018:In his time, the veteran director Mike Newell has tackled a remarkably wide range of film genres. . . .[H]e was thesteady hand on the tillerof the phenomenalFour Weddings and a Funeral, a deceptively effortless-looking romantic comedy which, lest we forget, did not direct itself.2014August 5,Carol Goar, “How to survive a slow-growth recovery”, inThe Star, Canada, retrieved6 February 2018:For six years Prime Minister Stephen Harper has promoted himself as a “steady hand on the tiller” to steer the nation through turbulent economic waters.
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