Forms: 5–6 stepe, stipe, 5–7 steepe, 6 stiep(e, stype, (steyp), pa. pple. stept, 6–7 steap, 6– steep. [Of difficult etymology. On the assumption that (notwithstanding the late date at which it is recorded) the vb. represents an OE. *stíepan, *stépan, it would be the formal equivalent of Sw. stöpa, Da. støbe, Norw. støypa, to steep (seeds, barley for malting):—OTeut. type *staupjan, perhaps f. *staupo-m (OE. stéap, ON. staup, STOUP) vessel for liquor. Cf. Norw. setja korn i staup = to put corn in steep (see STEEP sb.1).
The mod. Scandinavian words cited coincide in form with a verb meaning to cast down, to cast (metals), to run (candles, etc.) into a mold, which descends from ON. støypa of the same meaning, a causative of ON. stúpa (once), Sw. stupa to STOOP. It is phonologically impossible that, as is usually supposed, the Eng. word can be a. ON. støypa; and even if it be referred to an OE. *stíepan corresponding to the ON. vb., the development of sense appears less natural on this view than on that suggested above.]
1. trans. To soak in water or other liquid; chiefly, to do so for the purpose of softening, altering in properties, cleansing, or the like, or for that of extracting some constituent. Const. in, rarely with.
c. 1400. Maundev. (Roxb.), xviii. 84. Þai take alde peper and stepez it and strewez apon it spume of siluer.
c. 1420. Liber Cocorum (1862), 46. Fyrst sethe þy mustuls … In water,… Þer in þou stepe white brede fayre.
c. 1440. Pallad. on Husb., XII. 545. Elite olyues xl dayes stepe In oil barm.
1530. Palsgr., 734/2. I stepe, I laye in water, or lay a stepe any salte meate to take out the brine, je destrempe. Stepe this salt fysshe.
1533. Elyot, Cast. Helthe (1539), 41. Also wyne … wherin rootes of perseley or fenel be stieped.
1561. Hollybush, Hom. Apoth., 34 b. A slyce of bread styped in cold water.
1565. Jewel, Def. Apol. (1611), 463. The Priests … vsed to dip or to stipe the Sacred Body of our Lord vnder forme of Bread in the consecrated Blood and so to giue it to the people.
1577. Harrison, England, I. II. vi. (1877), 156. Our Mault is made of the best Barley, which is steeped in a cysterne … vntyll it be thorowlye soked.
1587. Greene, Tritameron, II. I 1 b. Hanniball … stieped poyson in a cuppe of drinke.
1594. Gd. Huswifes Handmaid Kitchin, 43. Take faire bread and Vinigar, & steep the bread with some of the same broth.
1611. Shaks., Wint. T., II. i. 40. There may be in the Cup A Spider steep’d.
1617. Moryson, Itin., I. 114. Into the foresaid Lake they cast flax, which will be steeped in that water in 14 houres.
1697. Dryden, Virg. Georg., I. 280. Some steep their Seed, and some in Cauldrons boil.
1769. Mrs. Raffald, Eng. Housekpr. (1778), 69. Steep your ham all night in water.
1800. G. Rose, Diaries (1860), I. 284. The distillers steep their malt a fortnight before they can use it.
1815. J. Smith, Panorama Sci. & Art, II. 823. When he steeped seeds … in a strong solution of liver of sulphur, he never lost a seed by vermin.
1844. G. Dodd, Textile Manuf., v. 148. The [flax] plants are then … steeped, a very important operation.
1849. Balfour, Man. Bot., § 248. Some have advocated a system of steeping seeds and grains in certain solutions before sowing them.
1890. Hardwicke’s Sci.-Gossip, XXVI. 53. The Hottentots … use the leaves steeped in brandy for all sorts of complaints.
b. absol. To soak barley or malt.
1390–1. Earl Derby’s Exped. (Camden), 74. Pro ij fattes … pro stepyng yn.
1468. Cov. Leet-bk., 338. Þat noman … fech watir þens to brue nor to stepe with, vp þe peyn of iiij d.
c. To plunge or bathe (one’s face, eyes, limbs, etc.) in water. Somewhat rare.
1579. Spenser, Sheph. Cal., March, 116. But see the Welkin thicks apace, And stouping Phebus steepes his face.
1708. N. Blundell, Diary (1895), 62. I Steeped my Feet in hot Whey … to make my Cornes come out.
1865. Dickens, Mut. Fr., III. xv. I have steeped my eyes in cold water.
1893. Stevenson, Catriona, vii. I sat by the lake side…, and there steeped my wrists and laved my temples.
transf. 1817. Shelley, Rev. Islam, I. li. The wingless boat paused where an ivory stair Its fretwork in the crystal sea did steep.
d. transf. Of mist, vapor, smoke, light: To ‘bathe,’ envelop like a flood.
1798. Coleridge, Anc. Mar., VI. xvii. The moonlight steeped in silentness The steady weathercock.
1817. Shelley, Rev. Islam, I. ii. Long trains of tremulous mist began to … steep The orient sun in shadow.
1860. Tyndall, Glac., I. v. 37. The Glacier … was also steeped for a time in the same purple light.
1887. Miss Braddon, Like & Unlike, x. Every room was steeped in tobacco.
1890. Bridges, Shorter Poems, I. ii. 1. A river-mist is steeping the trees.
2. To soak, saturate, thoroughly moisten. Const. in, rarely with (water, blood, dye, etc.); also simply in passive (now dial.), to be wet through.
1590. Spenser, F. Q., II. vi. 18. Then she with liquors strong his eyes did steepe, That nothing should him hastily awake. Ibid., III. i. 65. Drops of purple bloud … Which did her lilly smock with staines of vermeil steepe.
1593. Shaks., 3 Hen. VI., II. i. 62. A Napkin, steeped in the harmlesse blood Of sweet young Rutland.
1633. Ld. Warriston, Diary (S.H.S.), 185. Evin so that with tears my naipkin was lyk on steaped in walter [sic].
1717. Pope, Iliad, XI. 729. His Coursers steep’d in Sweat, and stain’d with Gore. Ibid. (1720), XVII. 415. A sanguine Torrent steeps the reeking Ground.
1768. Sterne, Sent. Journ. (1778), II. 177. (Maria) Ny handkerchief … was steep’d too much already to be of use.
1812. J. Wilson, Isle of Palms, I. 303. Oh! must those eyes be steep’d in tears.
1849. Aytoun, Lays Scott. Cavaliers (ed. 2), 20. Never yet was royal banner Steeped in such a costly dye.
1892. Verney Mem., I. 5. There was probably little or no glass in the house of Henry VII.’s time; linen steeped in oil was the substitute.
1898. Shetld. News, 27 Aug. (E.D.D.). My claes wis dat wye steepid ’at da watter ran doon ower my hide.
fig. 1595. Shaks., John, III. iv. 147. For he that steepes his safetie in true blood, Shall finde but bloodie safety.
1607. Dekker & Webster, Sir T. Wyat, B j b. See, on my knees I humbly take my leaue, And steep my wordes with teares.
b. To soak or imbrue (a weapon, etc.) in blood, poison, etc.
1594. Kyd, Cornelia, II. 283. Would Death had steept his dart in Lernas blood.
1594. Chapman, Shadow of Nt., C j. No pen can any thing eternall wright, That is not steept in humor of the Night.
1602. Shaks., Ham., II. ii. 533. With tongue in Venome steep’d.
1817. Shelley, Rev. Islam, VII. i. Time, though he wield the darts of death and sleep, And those thrice mortal barbs in his own poison steep.
c. hyperbolically. To ‘soak’ in alcoholic liquor: with reference to constant or excessive drinking; chiefly in passive. Also, to deaden, stupefy (one’s memory, senses), to drown (grief, etc.) in liquor.
a. 1592. Greene, Jas. IV., 1735. Our iolly horsekeeper, being well stept in licor, confessed to me the stealing of my maisters writings.
1601. B. Jonson, Poetaster, III. v. And liue like them, That … euery eu’en, with neat wine steeped be.
1649. Lovelace, Poems, 97. When thirsty griefe in Wine we steepe.
1746. Francis, trans. Hor., Sat., II. i. 10. Swim o’er the Tiber, if you want to sleep, Or the dull Sense in t’ other Bottle steep.
1821. Scott, Kenilw., iii. Unless my memory fails me, (for I did steep it somewhat too deeply in the sack-butt).
1839. W. Carleton, Fardorougha, xiv. 201. ‘He is afeard if he got drunk that he might n’t be able to keep his own secret.’ ‘Ah, thin be the holy Nelly, we’ll steep him yet.’
1856. Emerson, Eng. Traits, Race, Wks. (Bohn), II. 31. A wealthy, juicy, broad-chested creature, steeped in ale and good cheer.
1862. Miss Braddon, Lady Audley, xxxiii. He was steeped to the very lips in alcohol.
d. fig. (jocular) To ‘wet,’ initiate or celebrate by a drink.
1765. Sterne, Tr. Shandy, VIII. xxviii. Here’s a crown, corporal, to begin with, to steep thy commission.
3. In various metaphorical applications.
a. To ‘bathe’ (the heart, head, limbs, etc.) in slumber or rest.
1591. Spenser, Virg. Gnat, 245. Sleep: Which … In quiet rest his molten heart did steep.
1635. Quarles, Embl., I. vii. Is this a time to steepe Thy braines in wastfull slumbers?
1697. Dryden, Virg. Georg., IV. 278. When once in Beds their weary Limbs they steep, No buzzing Sounds disturb their Golden Sleep.
1827. Keble, Chr. Y., Sun of my soul, ii. When the soft dews of kindly sleep My wearied eyelids gently steep.
1833. Tennyson, Lotos-Eaters, 66. We only toil … Nor steep our brows in slumber’s holy balm.
b. To soak and stupefy or deaden (grief, the senses) in (sleep, etc.).
1597. Shaks., 2 Hen. IV., III. i. 8. O Sleepe,… thou no more wilt weigh my eye-lids downe, And steepe my Sences in Forgetfulnesse.
1602. Marston, Antonio’s Rev., I. iii. My sense was steep’t in horrid dreames.
1790. Cowper, Mother’s Pict., 19. Fancy … Shall steep me in Elysian reverie.
1822. Lamb, Elia, Ser. II. Detached Thoughts on Books. She has snatched an hour … to steep her cares, as in some Lethean cup, in spelling out their enchanting contents.
1856. Merivale, Rom. Emp., l. V. 534. Messalina … steeped the senses of her consort in brutal indulgences.
1882. B. Harte, Flip, ii. He awoke with the aroma of the woods still steeping his senses.
c. To involve deeply in a state or condition; to imbue or permeate thoroughly (with some quality); to make profoundly acquainted (with a subject of study); to absorb in (a pursuit). Const. in. Chiefly in passive; often, to be steeped to the lips.
1603. Chettle, etc. Grissill, A 4. All his words and deedes are like his birth, Steept in true honor.
1604. Shaks., Oth., IV. ii. 50. Had they … Steep’d me in pouertie to the very lippes.
1663. Patrick, Parab. Pilgrim, xxvii. (1687), 293. He seldom departed from meditation, but … with … his whole heart steeped in new sweetness.
1833. Tennyson, Two Voices, 47. Thou art so steeped in misery.
1837. Carlyle, Fr. Rev., III. II. viii. Roland, so long steeped to the lips in disgust and chagrin, sends in his demission.
1850. W. Irving, Goldsmith, xiv. 172. Langton … was still the … enthusiastic scholar, steeped to the lips in Greek.
1855. Dickens, Lett. (1880), I. 402. I am steeped in my story.
1856. Kingsley, Misc. (1860), II. 130. But Milton had steeped his whole soul in romance.
1868. Morris, Earthly Par., I. I. 304. Until the Golden Age seemed there to be, So steeped the land was in felicity.
1870. Huxley, Lay Serm., vi. (1874), 117. The whole of modern thought is steeped in science.
1882. Miss Braddon, Mt. Royal, iii. She has been steeped to the lips in worldliness and vanity.
1908. J. O. Dykes, Chr. Minister, xiii. 142. There is a language of devotion in which the minister does well to steep himself.
4. intr. To undergo the process of soaking in liquor.
c. 1412. Hoccleve, De Reg. Princ., 1126. Men Yerne and desiren after muk so sore, Þat they good fame han leyd a watir yore, And rekken neuer how longe it þer stipe.
c. 1440. Pallad. on Husb., II. 281. A day afore her settyng hem [sc. almonds] to stepe In meth is good.
1598. Epulario, B ij b. Lay it to steepe in a little red wine.
1648. J. Beaumont, Psyche, II. cvii. He having steeping, in a box of Jett, A blacker Liquor.
1769. Mrs. Raffald, Eng. Housekpr. (1778), 323. Put one ounce of isinglass to steep in cyder.
1808. Scott, Marm., I. xxx. The midnight draught of sleep, Where wine and spices richly steep, In massive bowl.
1809. Parkins, Culpepper’s Eng. Physician, 383. Then let them all steep ten days in the aquavitæ.
1913. Daily Graphic, 24 March, 13/4. Basins of water in which salt cod was steeping so that it might be ready for cooking.
b. transf. and fig.
1577. Grange, Golden Aphrod., E ij. As one whose browes had Morpheus bound and layde to stiepe ouer head and eares in the snowe of Tygetus.
1600. Fairfax, Tasso, XX. cxliii. The camp was wonne, and all in blood doth steepe.
1849. Cupples, Green Hand, xvi. (1856), 157. A huge lake, fringed in by a confused hazy bluish outline steeping in the heat.
1914. N. Munro, in Blackw. Mag., Feb., 231/1. In a loch at Moy the stars were steeping.
5. Comb.: chiefly in the names of vessels used in steeping malt, flesh, etc. (cf. STEEPING vbl. sb.1 4), as steep cistern, † fat (FAT sb.1 2), † lead (LEAD sb.1 5 a), † -stone (Sc. and north.), tub; steep-grass, -weed, -wort, Pinguicula vulgaris, so called from its property of curdling milk; steep-skin dial. (see quot.); steep-water = STEEP sb.1 4.
1839. Ure, Dict. Arts, 93. [Malting] More barley is successively emptied into the *steep cistern.
1483. Cath. Angl., 361/2. A *Stepe fatte, ptipsanarium.
1550. N. C. Wills (Surtees, 1908), 210. A stepffat of leyd.
1777. J. Lightfoot, Flora Scotica, II. 1131. Pinguicula vulgaris.… *Steep-grass.
1418. Mem. Ripon (Surtees), III. 142. Item j *stepelede 24s.
1582. Wills & Inv. N. C. (Surtees, 1860), 88. Item in the kilne a lardge and new steapeleade.
1887. S. Chesh. Gloss., Bag-skin, the stomach of a calf salted, so as to be used as rennet in cheese-making: Also called *Steep-skin.
c. 1475. Cath. Angl., 361/2 (Addit. MS.). A *Stepstane or fatt.
1599. Reg. Mag. Sig. Scot., 317/1. Commisit dictis fratribus potestatem horrea, hortos, lie killis, cobillis, steip-stanis, granaria [etc.].
1627. Capt. Smith, Sea Gram., ix. 37. The *steepe Tubs in the chains to shift their Beefe, Porke, or Fish in salt water.
1867. Smyth, Sailor’s Word-bk., Steep-tub, a large tub in which salt provisions are soaked previous to being cooked.
1838. T. Thomson, Chem. Org. Bodies, 1012. The *steep-water gradually acquires a yellow colour.
1876. Encycl. Brit., IV. 267/2. The steep-water should then be changed.
1886. Britten & Holland, Plant-n., Steep-grass, *Steep-weed, or *Steep-wort, Pinguicula vulgaris, L.
Hence Steeped ppl. a.
1599. Drayton, Heroical Ep., Geraldine to H. Howard (ed. 3), 95 b. That honey-steeped gall, We oft are sayd to bayte our Loues withall.
1639. T. de Gray, Compl. Horsem., 348. Give him one of the steeped egges.
1648. Hexham, II. Gerot Vlas, Rotten or Steeped Flaxe.
1710. N. Blundell, Diary (1895), 83. I Rosted my Steeped Wheat to make Coffy on.
