Steep

GRE 蓝宝 Barron TOEFL 考研

[编辑] 解释

I. 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>
? steepish adjective
? steeply adverb
? steepness 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

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 steeped in tradition>
intransitive verb
- to undergo the process of soaking in a liquid
Synonyms: see soak
? steeper noun

IV. noun