I. ˈstēp adjective
Etymology: Middle English stepe, from Old English stēap high, steep, deep; akin to Old Frisian stāp steep, Middle High German stief — more at stoop
Date: before 12th century
1. : lofty , high — used chiefly of a sea
2. : making a large angle with the plane of the horizon
3.
a. : mounting or falling precipitously
the stairs were very steep
b. : being or characterized by a rapid and intensive decline or increase
4. : extremely or excessively high
steep prices
• steep·ish ˈstē-pish adjective
• steep·ly adverb
• steep·ness noun
Synonyms:
steep , abrupt , precipitous , sheer mean having an incline approaching the perpendicular. steep implies such sharpness of pitch that ascent or descent is very difficult
a steep hill
a steep dive
abrupt implies a sharper pitch and a sudden break in the level
a beach with an abrupt drop-off
precipitous applies to an incline approaching the vertical
the river winds through a precipitous gorge
sheer suggests an unbroken perpendicular expanse
sheer cliffs that daunted the climbers
II. noun
Date: 1555
: a precipitous place
III. verb
Etymology: Middle English stepen
Date: 14th century
transitive verb
1. : to soak in a liquid at a temperature under the boiling point (as for softening, bleaching, or extracting an essence)
2. : to cover with or plunge into a liquid (as in bathing, rinsing, or soaking)
3. : to saturate with or subject thoroughly to (some strong or pervading influence)
practices steep ed in tradition
intransitive verb
: to undergo the process of soaking in a liquid
Synonyms: see soak
• steep·er noun
IV. noun
Date: 15th century
1. : the state or process of being steeped
2. : a bath or solution in which something is steeped