a steep place (as on a hill)
"The hikers struggled to climb the steep path up the mountain side."
The steep side of a mountain etc.; a slope or acclivity.
"The hot water was poured over the tea leaves to create a steep for the afternoon pot."
A liquid used in a steeping process
In plain English: A steep is an old-fashioned word for a very sharp hill that you have to climb up quickly.
"The steep was so high that we had to climb carefully on our way up the mountain."
Usage: As a noun, "steep" refers to the sloping side of a hill or cliff rather than describing its angle. Use this term when identifying the physical surface itself, such as climbing the steep on the other side of the valley.
To soak or wet thoroughly.
"The gardener steeped the tea leaves in hot water until they released their full flavor."
In plain English: To steep something means to soak it in liquid so that it absorbs flavor, strength, or color over time.
"She decided to steep the tea leaves in hot water for five minutes."
greatly exceeding bounds of reason or moderation
"exorbitant rent"
"extortionate prices"
"spends an outrageous amount on entertainment"
"usurious interest rate"
"unconscionable spending"
Of a near-vertical gradient; of a slope, surface, curve, etc. that proceeds upward at an angle near vertical.
"The mountain's steep cliffs made it difficult to find a safe path up the side."
In plain English: Steep describes something that is very sharp and goes up quickly, like a hill that makes you work hard to climb it.
"The hike up that steep hill took us an hour to finish."
The word steep comes from Old English stēap, which originally meant "high." It traveled into modern usage to describe a sharp incline rather than just great height.