herd vs steer

herd

verb
  • To form or put into a herd. 

  • To manage, care for or guard a herd 

  • To act as a herdsman or a shepherd. 

  • To unite or associate in a herd 

  • To move or drive a herd. 

  • To associate; to ally oneself with, or place oneself among, a group or company. 

  • To unite or associate in a herd; to feed or run together, or in company. 

noun
  • A number of domestic animals assembled together under the watch or ownership of a keeper. 

  • Any collection of animals gathered or travelling in a company. 

  • A crowd, a mass of people or things; a rabble. 

steer

verb
  • To direct a group of animals. 

  • To conduct oneself; to take or pursue a course of action. 

  • To be directed and governed; to take a direction, or course; to obey the helm. 

  • To direct a conversation. 

  • To guide the course of a vessel, vehicle, aircraft etc. (by means of a device such as a rudder, paddle, or steering wheel). 

  • To castrate (a male calf). 

  • To direct or send an object into a specific place 

  • To maneuver or manipulate a person or group into a place or course of action. 

noun
  • A suggestion about a course of action. 

  • The castrated male of cattle, especially one raised for beef production. 

How often have the words herd and steer occurred in a corpus of books? (source: Google Ngram Viewer )