What is "to feel the helm"

Helm \Helm\, n. [OE. helme, AS. helma rudder; akin to D. & G. helm, Icel. hj[=a]lm, and perh. to E. helve.]

1. (Naut.) The apparatus by which a ship is steered, comprising rudder, tiller, wheel, etc.; -- commonly used of the tiller or wheel alone.

2. The place or office of direction or administration. ``The helm of the Commonwealth.''
   --Melmoth.

3. One at the place of direction or control; a steersman; hence, a guide; a director.

   The helms o' the State, who care for you like fathers.
   --Shak.

4. [Cf. Helve.] A helve. [Obs. or Prov. Eng.]

   Helm amidships, when the tiller, rudder, and keel are in the same plane.

   Helm aport, when the tiller is borne over to the port side of the ship.

   Helm astarboard, when the tiller is borne to the starboard side.

   Helm alee, Helm aweather, when the tiller is borne over to the lee or to the weather side.

   Helm hard alee, Helm hard aport, Helm hard astarboard, etc., when the tiller is borne over to the extreme limit.

   Helm port, the round hole in a vessel's counter through which the rudderstock passes.

   Helm down, helm alee.

   Helm up, helm aweather.

   To ease the helm, to let the tiller come more amidships, so as to lessen the strain on the rudder.

   To feel the helm, to obey it.

   To right the helm, to put it amidships.

   To shift the helm, to bear the tiller over to the corresponding position on the opposite side of the vessel.
   --Ham. Nav. Encyc.

Feel \Feel\ (f[=e]l), v. t. [imp. & p. p. Felt (f[e^]lt); p. pr. & vb. n. Feeling.] [AS. f[=e]lan; akin to OS. gif[=o]lian to perceive, D. voelen to feel, OHG. fuolen, G. f["u]hlen, Icel. f[=a]lma to grope, and prob. to AS. folm palm of the hand, L. palma. Cf. Fumble, Palm.]

1. To perceive by the touch; to take cognizance of by means of the nerves of sensation distributed all over the body, especially by those of the skin; to have sensation excited by contact of (a thing) with the body or limbs.

   Who feel Those rods of scorpions and those whips of steel.
   --Creecn.

2. To touch; to handle; to examine by touching; as, feel this piece of silk; hence, to make trial of; to test; often with out.

   Come near, . . . that I may feel thee, my son.
   --Gen. xxvii. 21.

   He hath this to feel my affection to your honor.
   --Shak.

3. To perceive by the mind; to have a sense of; to experience; to be affected by; to be sensible of, or sensitive to; as, to feel pleasure; to feel pain.

   Teach me to feel another's woe.
   --Pope.

   Whoso keepeth the commandment shall feel no evil thing.
   --Eccl. viii. 5.

   He best can paint them who shall feel them most.
   --Pope.

   Mankind have felt their strength and made it felt.
   --Byron.

4. To take internal cognizance of; to be conscious of; to have an inward persuasion of.

   For then, and not till then, he felt himself.
   --Shak.

5. To perceive; to observe. [Obs.]
   --Chaucer.

   To feel the helm (Naut.), to obey it.