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Soak vs Steep - What's the difference?

soak | steep |

In intransitive terms the difference between soak and steep

is that soak is to penetrate or permeate by saturation while steep is to imbue with something.

As an adjective steep is

of a near-vertical gradient; of a slope, surface, curve, etc. that proceeds upward at an angle near vertical.

soak

English

Verb

(en verb)
  • (label) To be saturated with liquid by being immersed in it.
  • * Bible, (w) xxiv. 7
    • Their land shall be soaked with blood.
  • (label) To immerse in liquid to the point of saturation or thorough permeation.
  • (label) To penetrate or permeate by saturation.
  • * Sir (Walter Scott) (1771-1832)
    • The rivulet beneath soaked its way obscurely through wreaths of snow.
  • (label) To allow (especially a liquid) to be absorbed; to take in, receive. (usually + up )
  • * {{quote-book, year=1927, author= F. E. Penny
    • , chapter=4, title= Pulling the Strings , passage=The case was that of a murder. It had an element of mystery about it, however, which was puzzling the authorities. A turban and loincloth soaked in blood had been found; also a staff.}}
  • To drink intemperately or gluttonously.
  • (label) To heat a metal before shaping it.
  • To hold a kiln at a particular temperature for a given period of time.
  • (label) To absorb; to drain.

    • Noun

    (en noun)
  • An immersion in water etc.
  • * "After the climb, I had a nice long soak in a bath."
  • (slang, British) A drunkard.
  • (Australia) A low-lying depression that fills with water after rain.
  • * 1985 , (Peter Carey), Illywhacker , Faber & Faber 2003, p. 38:
    • I set off early to walk along the Melbourne Road where, one of the punters had told me, there was a soak with plenty of frogs in it.

    Anagrams

    * * * English ergative verbs

    steep

    English

    Etymology 1

    (etyl) . The sense of “sharp slope” is attested circa 1200; the sense “expensive” is attested US 1856.

    Adjective

    (er)
  • Of a near-vertical gradient; of a slope, surface, curve, etc. that proceeds upward at an angle near vertical.
    • a steep''' hill or mountain; a '''steep''' roof; a '''steep''' ascent; a '''steep barometric gradient
  • (informal) expensive
    • Twenty quid for a shave? That's a bit steep .
  • (obsolete) Difficult to access; not easy reached; lofty; elevated; high.
    • (Chapman)
  • (of the rake of a ship's mast, or a car's windshield) resulting in a mast or windshield angle that strongly diverges from the perpendicular
    • The steep rake of the windshield enhances the fast lines of the exterior. [http://www.utsandiego.com/uniontrib/20070303/news_lz1dd3maynard.html]

    Synonyms

    * brant

    Etymology 2

    From (etyl) stepen, from (etyl) . More at (l).

    Verb

    (en verb)
  • (ambitransitive) To soak an item (or to be soaked) in liquid in order to gradually add or remove components to or from the item
    • They steep skins in a tanning solution to create leather.
    The tea is steeping .
  • * Wordsworth
    • In refreshing dew to steep / The little, trembling flowers.
  • To imbue with something.
  • * Earle
    • The learned of the nation were steeped in Latin.
    a town steeped in history
    Derived terms
    * (l)

    Noun

  • A liquid used in a steeping process
    • Corn steep has many industrial uses.
  • A rennet bag.

    • References