Steam

[EnglishStudent]

I read this in Yahoo news, but I don´t understand the word "steam" (vapor) in this sentence, could you help me?

Senate vote gives immigration bill steam

[Eric]

energia para funcionar ;D o para adelantarse

[Tomisimo]

I will venture a translation :)

Senate vote gives immigration bill steam
El voto del senado encarrera al proyecto de inmigración

[Tomisimo]

As a side note, this usage of steam is also found in other phrases such as:

I'm running out of steam, which means Me estoy cansando o Me estoy desanimando.

[atnbueno]

I'd translate it as "La votación del Senado da un nuevo impulso a la ley de inmigración".

Any expression equivalent to "dar nuevo impulso" would do. "Encarrerar" is not used in Spain.

A more literal (but used regularly) translation of "running out of steam" is "quedarse sin fuerzas" (as in "me estoy quedando sin fuerzas"). Also "quedarse sin ganas" and, even more colloquial, "quedarse sin fuelle" :)

[Chorbdaddy]

Just an FYI: All of these phrases are a throw-back to the days of steam-powered vehicles and machines from the time of the Industrial Revolution.