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Steep vs Flat - What's the difference?

steep | flat |

In obsolete terms the difference between steep and flat

is that steep is difficult to access; not easy reached; lofty; elevated; high while flat is a dull fellow; a simpleton.

In intransitive terms the difference between steep and flat

is that steep is to imbue with something while flat is to become flat or flattened; to sink or fall to an even surface.

As adjectives the difference between steep and flat

is that steep is of a near-vertical gradient; of a slope, surface, curve, etc. that proceeds upward at an angle near vertical while flat is having no variations in height.

As verbs the difference between steep and flat

is that steep is to soak an item (or to be soaked) in liquid in order to gradually add or remove components to or from the item while flat is to make a flat call; to call without raising.

As nouns the difference between steep and flat

is that steep is a liquid used in a steeping process while flat is an area of level ground.

As an adverb flat is

so as to be flat.

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

    flat

    English

    Etymology 1

    From (etyl) flat, from (etyl) Flat] in (Online Etymology Dictionary) flatr (Norwegian and Swedish flat, Danish flad), from (etyl) [http://ordnet.dk/ods/opslag?opslag=flad&submit=S%F8g Sanskrit, OHG and Greek cognates named.

    Alternative forms

    * , (l) (obsolete)

    Adjective

    (flatter)
  • Having no variations in height.
  • * {{quote-book, year=1963, author=(Margery Allingham), title=(The China Governess)
  • , chapter=17 citation , passage=The face which emerged was not reassuring. It was blunt and grey, the nose springing thick and flat from high on the frontal bone of the forehead, whilst his eyes were narrow slits of dark in a tight bandage of tissue. […].}}
  • (of a tire or other inflated object) Deflated, especially because of a puncture.
  • (music, note) Lowered by one semitone.
  • (music) Of a note or voice, lower in pitch than it should be.
  • (music, voice) Without variations in pitch.
  • Of a carbonated drink, with all or most of its carbon dioxide having come out of solution so that the drink no longer fizzes or contains any bubbles.
  • Uninteresting.
  • * Coleridge
  • A large part of the work is, to me, very flat .
  • * Shakespeare
  • How weary, stale, flat , and unprofitable / Seem to me all the uses of this world.
  • (wine) Lacking acidity without being sweet.
  • Absolute.
  • (slang) Describing certain features, usually the breasts and/or buttocks, that are extremely small or not visible at all.
  • (of a battery) Unable to emit power; dead.
  • (juggling, of a throw) Without spin; spinless.
  • Lacking liveliness of commercial exchange and dealings; depressed; dull.
  • The market is flat .
  • (phonetics, dated, of a consonant) sonant; vocal, as distinguished from a sharp (non-sonant) consonant
  • (obsolete) Clear; unmistakable; peremptory; absolute; positive; downright.
  • * Shakespeare
  • flat burglary as ever was committed
  • * Marston
  • A great tobacco taker too, — that's flat .
    Synonyms
    * (having no variations in altitude) even, planar, plane, smooth, uniform * (deflated) deflated, punctured * (without variations in pitch) monotone * (uninteresting) boring, dull, uninteresting * flabby
    Antonyms
    * (having no variations in altitude) bumpy, cratered, hilly (of terrain), rough (of a surface), wrinkled (of a surface) * sharp * sharp
    Derived terms
    * flat as a pancake * flatcar * flat-footed * flatly * flatness * flat out * flat rate * flatten * that's flat

    Adverb

    (en adverb)
  • So as to be flat.
  • Spread the tablecloth flat over the table.
  • Bluntly.
  • I asked him if he wanted to marry me and he turned me down flat .
  • Not exceeding.
  • He can run a mile in four minutes flat .
  • Completely.
  • I am flat broke this month.
  • Directly; flatly.
  • * Herbert
  • Sin is flat opposite to the Almighty.
  • (finance, slang) Without allowance for accrued interest.
  • Synonyms
    * (so as to be flat) * (bluntly) bluntly, curtly * (not exceeding) tops * (completely) absolutely, completely, utterly

    Noun

    (en noun)
  • An area of level ground.
  • * Francis Bacon
  • Envy is as the sunbeams that beat hotter upon a bank, or steep rising ground, than upon a flat .
  • * , chapter=3
  • , title= Mr. Pratt's Patients , passage=My hopes wa'n't disappointed. I never saw clams thicker than they was along them inshore flats . I filled my dreener in no time, and then it come to me that 'twouldn't be a bad idee to get a lot more, take 'em with me to Wellmouth, and peddle 'em out. Clams was fairly scarce over that side of the bay and ought to fetch a fair price.}}
  • (music) A note played a semitone lower than a natural, denoted by the symbol sign placed after the letter representing the note (e.g.'', B?) or in front of the note symbol (''e.g. ??).
  • (informal, automotive) A flat tyre/tire.
  • * 2012 , July 15. Richard Williams in Guardian Unlimited, Tour de France 2012: Carpet tacks cannot force Bradley Wiggins off track
  • The next one surrendered his bike, only for that, too, to give him a second flat as he started the descent.
  • (in the plural) A type of ladies' shoes with very low heels.
  • (painting) A thin, broad brush used in oil and watercolor/watercolour painting.
  • The part of something:
  • # (swordfighting) The side of a blade, as opposed to the sharp edge.
  • # The palm of the hand, with the adjacent part of the fingers.
  • A wide, shallow container.
  • (geometry) A subset of n-dimensional space that is congruent to a Euclidean space of lower dimension.
  • A flat-bottomed boat, without keel, and of small draught.
  • A straw hat, broad-brimmed and low-crowned.
  • (US) A railroad car without a roof, and whose body is a platform without sides; a platform car or flatcar.
  • A platform on a wheel, upon which emblematic designs etc. are carried in processions.
  • (mining) A horizontal vein or ore deposit auxiliary to a main vein; also, any horizontal portion of a vein not elsewhere horizontal.
  • (Raymond)
  • (obsolete) A dull fellow; a simpleton.
  • * Holmes
  • Or if you cannnot make a speech, / Because you are a flat .
  • (technical theatre) A rectangular wooden structure covered with masonite, lauan or muslin that can be raised as a platform.
  • Antonyms
    * (note) sharp * (shoes) high heels
    Derived terms
    * mudflat

    Verb

  • (poker slang) To make a flat call; to call without .
  • To become flat or flattened; to sink or fall to an even surface.
  • (intransitive, music, colloquial) To fall from the pitch.
  • (music) To depress in tone, as a musical note; especially, to lower in pitch by half a tone.
  • (dated) To make flat; to flatten; to level.
  • (dated) To render dull, insipid, or spiritless; to depress.
  • * Barrow
  • Passions are allayed, appetites are flatted .

    Etymology 2

    From 1795, alteration of (etyl) .

    Noun

    (en noun)
  • (archaic, New England, now chiefly British) An apartment.
  • Synonyms
    * (apartment) apartment
    Derived terms
    * block of flats * flatlet * flatmate * flatter

    References

    Anagrams

    * 1000 English basic words ----