Steep (st&emac;p), a.
Bright; glittering; fiery.
[Obs.]
His eyen steep, and rolling in his head.
Chaucer.
© Webster 1913.
Steep, v. t. [imp. & p. p. Steeped (st&emac;pt); p. pr. & vb. n. Steeping.] [OE. stepen, probably fr. Icel. steypa to cause to stoop, cast down, pour out, to cast metals, causative of st&umac;pa to stoop; cf. Sw. stopa to cast, to steep, Dan. stobe, D. & G. stippen to steep, to dip. Cf. Stoop, v. t.]
To soak in a liquid; to macerate; to extract the essence of by soaking; as, to soften seed by steeping it in water. Often used figuratively.
Let fancy still my sense in Lethe steep.
Shak.
In refreshing dew to steep
The little, trembling flowers.
Wordsworth.
The learned of the nation were steeped in Latin.
Earle.
© Webster 1913.
Steep, v. i.
To undergo the process of soaking in a liquid; as, the tea is steeping.
[Colloq.]
© Webster 1913.
Steep, n.
1.
Something steeped, or used in steeping; a fertilizing liquid to hasten the germination of seeds.
2.
A rennet bag.
[Prov. Eng.]
© Webster 1913.
Steep, a. [Comper. Steeper (?); superl. Steepest.] [OE. steep, step, AS. ste�xa0;p; akin to Icel. steypr steep, and st&umac;pa to stoop, Sw. stupa to fall, to tilt; cf. OFries. stap high. Cf. Stoop, v. i., Steep, v. t., Steeple.]
1.
Making a large angle with the plane of the horizon; ascending or descending rapidly with respect to a horizontal line or a level; precipitous; as, a steep hill or mountain; a steep roof; a steep ascent; a steep declivity; a steep barometric gradient.
2.
Difficult of access; not easy reached; lofty; elevated; high.
[Obs.]
Chapman.
3.
Excessive; as, a steep price.
[Slang]
© Webster 1913.
Steep, n.
A precipitous place, hill, mountain, rock, or ascent; any elevated object sloping with a large angle to the plane of the horizon; a precipice.
Dryden.
We had on each side naked rocks and mountains broken into a thousand irregular steeps and precipices.
Addison.
Bare steeps, where desolation stalks.
Wordsworth.
© Webster 1913.