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steep

1
[ steep ]
/ stip /
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See synonyms for: steep / steeped / steeper / steepness on Thesaurus.com

adjective, steep·er, steep·est.
having an almost vertical slope or pitch, or a relatively high gradient, as a hill, an ascent, stairs, etc.
(of a price or amount) unduly high; exorbitant: Those prices are too steep for me.
extreme or incredible, as a statement or story.
high or lofty.
noun
a steep place; declivity, as of a hill.
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In the UK, COTTON CANDY is more commonly known as…

Origin of steep

1
First recorded before 900; Middle English adjective step(e), steppe, Old English stēap “lofty, towering”; akin to stoop1

OTHER WORDS FROM steep

steeply, adverbsteepness, noun

Other definitions for steep (2 of 2)

steep2
[ steep ]
/ stip /

verb (used with object)
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.
to wet thoroughly in or with a liquid; drench; saturate; imbue.
to immerse in or saturate or imbue with some pervading, absorbing, or stupefying influence or agency: an incident steeped in mystery.
verb (used without object)
to lie soaking in a liquid.
noun
the act or process of steeping or the state of being steeped.
a liquid in which something is steeped.

Origin of steep

2
First recorded in 1350–1400; Middle English verb stepen; further origin obscure; compare Old Icelandic steypa “to throw down, pour out,” Swedish stöpa “to cast”

OTHER WORDS FROM steep

steeper, nounun·steeped, adjective
Dictionary.com Unabridged Based on the Random House Unabridged Dictionary, © Random House, Inc. 2023

How to use steep in a sentence

British Dictionary definitions for steep (1 of 2)

steep1
/ (stiːp) /

adjective
  1. having or being a slope or gradient approaching the perpendicular
  2. (as noun)the steep
informal (of a fee, price, demand, etc) unduly high; unreasonable (esp in the phrase that's a bit steep)
informal excessively demanding or ambitiousa steep task
British informal (of a statement) extreme or far-fetched
obsolete elevated

Derived forms of steep

steeply, adverbsteepness, noun

Word Origin for steep

Old English steap; related to Old Frisian stāp, Old High German stouf cliff, Old Norse staup

British Dictionary definitions for steep (2 of 2)

steep2
/ (stiːp) /

verb
to soak or be soaked in a liquid in order to soften, cleanse, extract an element, etc
(tr; usually passive) to saturate; imbuesteeped in ideology
noun
an instance or the process of steeping or the condition of being steeped
a liquid or solution used for the purpose of steeping something

Derived forms of steep

steeper, noun

Word Origin for steep

Old English stēpan; related to steap vessel, cup, Old High German stouf, Old Norse staup, Middle Dutch stōp
Collins English Dictionary - Complete & Unabridged 2012 Digital Edition © William Collins Sons & Co. Ltd. 1979, 1986 © HarperCollins Publishers 1998, 2000, 2003, 2005, 2006, 2007, 2009, 2012
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