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steep

Pronunciation: /stiːp/

The English word “steep” has 10 meanings listed here.

adjective

  1. Of a near-vertical gradient; of a slope, surface, curve, etc. that proceeds upward or downward at an angle approaching vertical.
  2. Expensive.
  3. Difficult to access; not easy reached; lofty; elevated; high.
  4. resulting in a mast or windshield angle that strongly diverges from the perpendicular.

noun

  1. The steep side of a mountain etc.; a slope or acclivity.
  2. A liquid used in a steeping process
  3. A rennet bag.

verb

  1. To soak or wet thoroughly.
  2. To make tea (or other beverages) by soaking leaves in water, which flavors the water.
  3. To imbue with something; to be deeply immersed in.

Etymology

From Middle English steep, from Old English stēap (“high”), from Proto-Germanic *staupaz, from Proto-Indo-European *(s)tewp- (“to push, stick”). Compare Old Frisian stāp ("high, towering"; > Modern Saterland Frisian stiep (“steep”)), Dutch stoop (“grand; proud”), Middle High German stouf (“towering cliff, precipice”), Middle High German stief (“steep”)). The Proto-Indo-European root (and related)…

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Definitions are from Wiktionary, extracted by Kaikki.org, and are available under the CC BY-SA 4.0 licence.