steep
2[ 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.
Words nearby steep
steely, steelyard, steen, steenbok, steenbras, steep, steepen, steeple, steeple cup, steeplebush, steeplechase
Origin of steep
21350–1400; (v.) Middle English stepen < ?; compare Swedish stöpa; (noun) late Middle English stepe, derivative of the v.
OTHER WORDS FROM steep
steep·er, nounun·steeped, adjectiveDictionary.com Unabridged
Based on the Random House Unabridged Dictionary, © Random House, Inc. 2019
Examples from the Web for steeping
British Dictionary definitions for steeping (1 of 2)
steep1
/ (stiːp) /
adjective
- having or being a slope or gradient approaching the perpendicular
- (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, nounWord Origin for steep
Old English steap; related to Old Frisian stāp, Old High German stouf cliff, Old Norse staup
British Dictionary definitions for steeping (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, nounWord Origin for steep
Old English stēpan; related to steap vessel, cup, Old High German stouf, Old Norse staup, Middle Dutch stōp
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