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View synonyms for

steep

1

[ steep ]

adjective

steeper, steepest.
  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.


noun

  1. a steep place; declivity, as of a hill.

steep

2

[ steep ]

verb (used with object)

  1. to soak in water or other liquid in order to soften, cleanse, extract flavor or a particular ingredient, etc.:

    Pour boiling water over the mint leaves and steep them for 5 minutes.

    Tapa cloth is made by steeping the thin bark of the paper mulberry tree in water and then scraping and beating it to the desired texture.

    Synonyms:

  2. to wet thoroughly in or with a liquid; drench; saturate; imbue:

    She isn't the only one whose belongings have been steeped in dirty floodwater—many of her neighbors are experiencing the same.

    Synonyms:

  3. to immerse in a particular kind of experience or area of learning, fill or saturate with a particular quality, etc., over a long period:

    Steep your children in the values of honesty, kindness, dependability, and determination.

    Synonyms: ,

verb (used without object)

  1. to sit soaking in water or other liquid for softening, cleansing, the extraction of a flavor or particular ingredient, etc.:

    Your tea is steeping.

    Let the raisins steep for a few days, allowing their natural sweetness to infuse the alcohol.

noun

  1. the act or process of steeping or the state of being steeped (often used attributively):

    For brewer’s malt, the steep takes a day or two, followed by germination and kilning.

    I was only giving my cold brew about eight hours of steep time instead of the recommended 16 to 18.

  2. a liquid in which something is steeped:

    Remove the flax from the steep after five to seven days of soaking.

steep

1

/ پː /

adjective

    1. having or being a slope or gradient approaching the perpendicular
    2. ( as noun )

      the steep

  1. informal.
    (of a fee, price, demand, etc) unduly high; unreasonable (esp in the phrase that's a bit steep )
  2. informal.
    excessively demanding or ambitious

    a steep task

  3. informal.
    (of a statement) extreme or far-fetched
  4. obsolete.
    elevated
“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

steep

2

/ پː /

verb

  1. to soak or be soaked in a liquid in order to soften, cleanse, extract an element, etc
  2. tr; usually passive to saturate; imbue

    steeped in ideology

“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

noun

  1. an instance or the process of steeping or the condition of being steeped
  2. a liquid or solution used for the purpose of steeping something
“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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Derived Forms

  • ˈٱ, adverb
  • ˈٱԱ, noun
  • ˈٱ, noun
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Other Word Forms

  • ٱl adverb
  • ٱn noun
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Word History and Origins

Origin of steep1

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

Origin of steep2

First recorded in 1350–1400; Middle English verb stepen; further origin obscure; compare Old Icelandic steypa “to throw down, pour out,” Swedish ö貹 “to cast”
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Word History and Origins

Origin of steep1

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

Origin of steep2

Old English ŧ貹; related to steap vessel, cup, Old High German stouf, Old Norse staup, Middle Dutch ō
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Idioms and Phrases

Idioms
  1. steeped in, immersed in a particular kind of experience or area of learning, filled or saturated with a particular quality, etc.:

    Cities like Rome or Florence are steeped in tradition and history, yet still vibrate with the life of a modern city.

    As a former congressman and ambassador, he was steeped in diplomacy, and often consulted as a mediator.

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Example Sentences

Examples have not been reviewed.

That has led to a steep decline in production for these workers.

From

US President Donald Trump has been trying to rebalance relations with key trading partners by using steep tariffs to bring them to the negotiating table.

From

To foot the steep bill in Indonesia, Prabowo has urged the country's tycoons to help, and accepted a funding offer from China.

From

Santa Maria Maggiore feels steeped in the "real" Rome – despite technically being a part of the Vatican state.

From

There would be particularly steep cuts to support for international organizations, with just under 90 percent of this funding eliminated in the proposal.

From

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Definitions and idiom definitions from Dictionary.com Unabridged, based on the Random House Unabridged Dictionary, © Random House, Inc. 2023

Idioms from The American Heritage® Idioms Dictionary copyright © 2002, 2001, 1995 by Houghton Mifflin Harcourt Publishing Company. Published by Houghton Mifflin Harcourt Publishing Company.

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