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Steep vs Shallow - What's the difference?

steep | shallow |

In obsolete terms the difference between steep and shallow

is that steep is difficult to access; not easy reached; lofty; elevated; high while shallow is not deep in tone.

As adjectives the difference between steep and shallow

is that steep is of a near-vertical gradient; of a slope, surface, curve, etc. that proceeds upward at an angle near vertical while shallow is having little depth; significantly less deep than wide.

As verbs the difference between steep and shallow

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 shallow is to make or become less deep.

As nouns the difference between steep and shallow

is that steep is a liquid used in a steeping process while shallow is a shallow portion of an otherwise deep body of water.

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

    shallow

    English

    Adjective

    (er)
  • Having little depth; significantly less deep than wide.
  • This crater is relatively shallow .
    Saute the onions in a shallow pan.
  • Extending not far downward.
  • The water is shallow here.
  • Concerned mainly with superficial matters.
  • It was a glamorous but shallow lifestyle.
  • Lacking interest or substance.
  • The acting is good, but the characters are shallow .
  • Not intellectually deep; not penetrating deeply; simple; not wise or knowing.
  • shallow learning
  • * Francis Bacon
  • The king was neither so shallow , nor so ill advertised, as not to perceive the intention of the French king.
  • (obsolete) Not deep in tone.
  • * Francis Bacon
  • the sound perfecter and not so shallow and jarring
  • (tennis) Not far forward, close to the net
  • * {{quote-news
  • , year=2012 , date=June 28 , author=Jamie Jackson , title=Wimbledon 2012: Lukas Rosol shocked by miracle win over Rafael Nadal , work=the Guardian citation , page= , passage=Rosol spurned the chance to finish off a shallow second serve by spooning into the net, and a wild forehand took the set to 5-4, with the native of Prerov required to hold his serve for victory.}}

    Antonyms

    * deep

    Noun

    (en noun)
  • A shallow portion of an otherwise deep body of water.
  • The ship ran aground in an unexpected shallow .
  • * Francis Bacon
  • A swift stream is not heard in the channel, but upon shallows of gravel.
  • * Dryden
  • dashed on the shallows of the moving sand
  • A fish, the rudd.
  • Usage notes

    * Usually used in the plural form.

    See also

    * shoal * sandbar * sandbank

    Verb

    (en verb)
  • To make or become less deep
  • * {{quote-journal, 2009, date=February 6, Andrew Z. Krug et al., Signature of the End-Cretaceous Mass Extinction in the Modern Biota, Science citation
  • , passage=The shallowing of Cenozoic age-frequency curves from tropics to poles thus appears to reflect the decreasing probability for genera to reach and remain established in progressively higher latitudes ( 9 ). }}

    Anagrams

    *