steep

steep
steep1
steeply, adv.steepness, n.
/steep/, adj., steeper, steepest, n.
adj.
1. having an almost vertical slope or pitch, or a relatively high gradient, as a hill, an ascent, stairs, etc.
2. (of a price or amount) unduly high; exorbitant: Those prices are too steep for me.
3. extreme or incredible, as a statement or story.
4. high or lofty.
n.
5. a steep place; declivity, as of a hill.
[bef. 900; ME stepe (adj.), OE steap; akin to STOOP1]
steep2
steeper, n.
/steep/, v.t.
1. to soak in water or other liquid, as to soften, cleanse, or extract some constituent: to steep tea in boiling-hot water; to steep reeds for basket weaving.
2. to wet thoroughly in or with a liquid; drench; saturate; imbue.
3. to immerse in or saturate or imbue with some pervading, absorbing, or stupefying influence or agency: an incident steeped in mystery.
v.i.
4. to lie soaking in a liquid.
n.
5. the act or process of steeping or the state of being steeped.
6. a liquid in which something is steeped.
[1350-1400; (v.) ME stepen < ?; cf. Sw stöpa; (n.) late ME stepe, deriv. of the v.]
Syn. 1. infuse. 2. permeate. 3. bury, engulf.

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Universalium. 2010.

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  • steep — [stiːp] adjective 1. steep prices, charges etc are unusually expensive: • Consumers are paying relatively steep prices for dairy products. • Anyone caught fiddling their expenses will face steep fines. 2. a steep increase or rise in something is… …   Financial and business terms

  • Steep — Steep, a. [Compar. {Steeper} ( [ e]r); superl. {Steepest}.] [OE. steep, step, AS. ste[ a]p; akin to Icel. steyp[eth]r steep, and st[=u]pa to stoop, Sw. stupa to fall, to tilt; cf. OFries. stap high. Cf. {Stoop}, v. i., {Steep}, v. t., {Steeple}.] …   The Collaborative International Dictionary of English

  • steep — steep1 [stēp] adj. [ME < OE steap, lofty, high, akin to OFris steep, MHG stouf, cliff (as in Ger Hohenstaufen) < IE * steup < base * (s)teu , to strike, butt > STOCK, STUB, L tundere, to strike] 1. having a sharp rise or highly… …   English World dictionary

  • Steep — Steep, v. t. [imp. & p. p. {Steeped} (st[=e]pt); p. pr. & vb. n. {Steeping}.] [OE. stepen, probably fr. Icel. steypa to cause to stoop, cast down, pour out, to cast metals, causative of st[=u]pa to stoop; cf. Sw. st[ o]pa to cast, to steep, Dan.… …   The Collaborative International Dictionary of English

  • steep — adj Steep, abrupt, precipitous, sheer mean having an incline approaching the perpendicular. The words are here arranged in ascending order of degree of perpendicularity. Steep implies so sharp a slope or pitch that ascent or descent is difficult… …   New Dictionary of Synonyms

  • Steep — (st[=e]p), a. Bright; glittering; fiery. [Obs.] [1913 Webster] His eyen steep, and rolling in his head. Chaucer. [1913 Webster] …   The Collaborative International Dictionary of English

  • Steep-up — ( [u^]p ), a. Lofty and precipitous. [R.] [1913 Webster] Her stand she takes upon a steep up hill. Shak. [1913 Webster] …   The Collaborative International Dictionary of English

  • Steep — is a village in central Hampshire, England just outside the town of Petersfield. Since 1899 it has been the location of Bedales School, a progressive public school. The poets Edward Thomas (from 1906) and Robert Frost (briefly) lived in the… …   Wikipedia

  • steep — [adj1] extreme in direction, course abrupt, arduous, breakneck, declivitous, elevated, erect, headlong, high, hilly, lifted, lofty, perpendicular, precipitate, precipitous, prerupt, raised, sharp, sheer, straight up; concept 581 Ant. gentle, mild …   New thesaurus

  • steep — Ⅰ. steep [1] ► ADJECTIVE 1) rising or falling sharply; almost perpendicular. 2) (of a rise or fall in an amount) very large or rapid. 3) informal (of a price or demand) not reasonable; excessive. 4) informal (of a claim or account) exaggerated. ► …   English terms dictionary

  • steep|en — «steemh>puhn», intransitive verb. to become steep or steeper. –v.t. to make steep or steeper …   Useful english dictionary

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