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Steep vs Swallow - What's the difference?

steep | swallow |

In intransitive terms the difference between steep and swallow

is that steep is to imbue with something while swallow is to take food down into the stomach; to make the muscular contractions of the oesophagus to achieve this, often taken as a sign of nervousness or strong emotion.

As verbs the difference between steep and swallow

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 swallow is to cause (food, drink etc.) to pass from the mouth into the stomach; to take into the stomach through the throat.

As nouns the difference between steep and swallow

is that steep is a liquid used in a steeping process while swallow is a deep chasm or abyss in the earth.

As an adjective steep

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

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

    swallow

    English

    Etymology 1

    From (etyl) swolowen, swolwen, . See also (l). The noun is from late (etyl) , from the verb.

    Alternative forms

    * (l), (l) (obsolete)

    Verb

    (en verb)
  • To cause (food, drink etc.) to pass from the mouth into the stomach; to take into the stomach through the throat.
  • * 1898 , , (Moonfleet) Chapter 4:
  • What the liquor was I do not know, but it was not so strong but that I could swallow it in great gulps and found it less burning than my burning throat.
  • * 2011 , Jonathan Jones, The Guardian , 21 Apr 2011:
  • Clothes are to be worn and food is to be swallowed : they remain trapped in the physical world.
  • To take (something) in so that it disappears; to consume, absorb.
  • * John Locke
  • The necessary provision of the life swallows the greatest part of their time.
  • * 2010 , "What are the wild waves saying", The Economist , 28 Oct 2010:
  • His body, like so many others swallowed by the ocean’s hungry maw, was never found.
  • To take food down into the stomach; to make the muscular contractions of the oesophagus to achieve this, often taken as a sign of nervousness or strong emotion.
  • My throat was so sore that I was unable to swallow .
  • * 1979 , VC Andrews, Flowers in the Attic :
  • She swallowed nervously then, appearing near sick with what she had to say.
  • To accept easily or without questions; to believe, accept.
  • * Sir Thomas Browne
  • Though that story be not so readily swallowed .
  • * 2011 , Madeleine Bunting, The Guardian , 22 Apr 2011:
  • Americans swallowed his tale because they wanted to.
  • To engross; to appropriate; usually with up .
  • * Alexander Pope
  • Homer excels in this, that he swallowed up the honour of those who succeeded him.
  • To retract; to recant.
  • to swallow one's opinions
  • * Shakespeare
  • swallowed his vows whole
  • To put up with; to bear patiently or without retaliation.
  • to swallow an affront or insult
    Derived terms
    * bitter pill to swallow * swallowable * swallow one's pride * swallow up

    See also

    * dysphagia

    Noun

    (en noun)
  • (archaic) A deep chasm or abyss in the earth.
  • The amount swallowed in one gulp; the act of swallowing.
  • He took the aspirin with a single swallow of water.

    Etymology 2

    (wikipedia swallow) (etyl) swealwe, from Germanic. Cognate with Danish svale, Dutch zwaluw, German Schwalbe, Swedish svala.

    Noun

    (en noun)
  • A small, migratory bird of the Hirundinidae family with long, pointed, moon-shaped wings and a forked tail which feeds on the wing by catching insects.
  • (nautical) The aperture in a block through which the rope reeves.
  • Synonyms
    * (small bird of Hirundunudae) martlet * barn swallow (official British name)
    Derived terms
    * one swallow does not make a summer * swallow-tailed

    Anagrams

    * wallows