Part 773

Steep, a. [Comper. Steeper (?); superl. Steepest.] [OE. steep, step, AS. steáp; akin to Icel. steyp&?;r steep, and stpa to stoop, Sw. stupa to fall, to tilt; cf. OFries. stap high. Cf. Stoop, v. i., Steep, v. t., Steeple.] 1. Making a large angle with the plane of the horizon; ascending or descending rapidly with respect to a horizontal line or a level; precipitous; as, a steep hill or mountain; a steep roof; a steep ascent; a steep declivity; a steep barometric gradient.

2. Difficult of access; not easy reached; lofty; elevated; high. [Obs.] Chapman.

3. Excessive; as, a steep price. [Slang]

Steep, n. A precipitous place, hill, mountain, rock, or ascent; any elevated object sloping with a large angle to the plane of the horizon; a precipice. Dryden.

We had on each side naked rocks and mountains broken into a thousand irregular steeps and precipices.

Addison.

Bare steeps, where desolation stalks.

Wordsworth.

Steep"-down` (?), a. Deep and precipitous, having steep descent. [R.]

Wash me in steep-down gulfs of liquid fire.

Shak.

Steep"en (?), v. i. [imp. & p. p. Steepened (?); p. pr. & vb. n. Steepening.] To become steep or steeper.

As the way steepened . . . I could detect in the hollow of the hill some traces of the old path.

H. Miller.

Steep"er (?), n. A vessel, vat, or cistern, in which things are steeped.

Steep"i*ness (?), n. Steepness. Howell.

Steep"ish, a. Somewhat steep. Carlyle.

Stee"ple (?), n. [OE. stepel, AS. stpel, st&?;pel; akin to E. steep, a.] (Arch.) A spire; also, the tower and spire taken together; the whole of a structure if the roof is of spire form. See Spire. "A weathercock on a steeple." Shak.

Rood steeple. See Rood tower, under Rood. -- Steeple bush (Bot.), a low shrub (Spiræa tomentosa) having dense panicles of minute rose-colored flowers; hardhack. -- Steeple chase, a race across country between a number of horsemen, to see which can first reach some distant object, as a church steeple; hence, a race over a prescribed course obstructed by such obstacles as one meets in riding across country, as hedges, walls, etc. -- Steeple chaser, one who rides in a steeple chase; also, a horse trained to run in a steeple chase. -- Steeple engine, a vertical back- acting steam engine having the cylinder beneath the crosshead. -- Steeple house, a church. [Obs.] Jer. Taylor.

Stee"ple*chas`ing (?), n. The act of riding steeple chases.

Stee"ple-crowned` (?), a. 1. Bearing a steeple; as, a steeple- crowned building.

2. Having a crown shaped like a steeple; as, a steeple-crowned hat; also, wearing a hat with such a crown.

This grave, beared, sable-cloaked, and steeple- crowned progenitor.

Hawthorne.

Stee"pled (?), a. Furnished with, or having the form of, a steeple; adorned with steeples. Fairfax.

Steep"ly (?), adv. In a steep manner; with steepness; with precipitous declivity.

Steep"ness, n. 1. Quality or state of being steep; precipitous declivity; as, the steepnessof a hill or a roof.

2. Height; loftiness. [Obs.] Chapman.