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Steep vs Costly - What's the difference?

steep | costly |

As adjectives the difference between steep and costly

is that steep is of a near-vertical gradient; of a slope, surface, curve, etc that proceeds upward at an angle near vertical while costly is of high cost; expensive.

As a verb steep

is (ambitransitive) to soak an item (or to be soaked) in liquid in order to gradually add or remove components to or from the item.

As a noun steep

is a liquid used in a steeping process.

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

    costly

    English

    Adjective

    (er)
  • Of high cost; expensive.
  • a costly activity
    a costly error
  • * {{quote-news
  • , year=2011 , date=October 15 , author=Michael Da Silva , title=Wigan 1 - 3 Bolton , work=BBC Sport citation , page= , passage=Individual mistakes proved costly for Wigan who, particularly after the half-time introduction of Hugo Rodallega, dominated for long periods.}}

    Antonyms

    * costlessly

    Anagrams

    *