English Dictionary

STEEPEN

Pronunciation (US): Play  (GB): Play

 Dictionary entry overview: What does steepen mean? 

STEEPEN (verb)
  The verb STEEPEN has 2 senses:

1. become steeperplay

2. make steeperplay

  Familiarity information: STEEPEN used as a verb is rare.


 Dictionary entry details 


STEEPEN (verb)

 Conjugation: 
Present simple: I / you / we / they steepen  Listen to US pronunciation  Listen to GB pronunciation ... he / she / it steepens  Listen to US pronunciation  Listen to GB pronunciation
Past simple: steepened  Listen to US pronunciation  Listen to GB pronunciation
Past participle: steepened  Listen to US pronunciation  Listen to GB pronunciation
-ing form: steepening  Listen to US pronunciation  Listen to GB pronunciation


Sense 1

Meaning:

Become steeper

Classified under:

Verbs of size, temperature change, intensifying, etc.

Context example:

The mountain side has steepened

Hypernyms (to "steepen" is one way to...):

change (undergo a change; become different in essence; losing one's or its original nature)

Sentence frame:

Something ----s


Sense 2

Meaning:

Make steeper

Classified under:

Verbs of size, temperature change, intensifying, etc.

Context example:

The landslides have steepened the mountain sides

Hypernyms (to "steepen" is one way to...):

alter; change; modify (cause to change; make different; cause a transformation)

Sentence frame:

Something ----s something


 Context examples 


At the first outset, heavy, miry ground and a matted, marish vegetation greatly delayed our progress; but by little and little the hill began to steepen and become stony under foot, and the wood to change its character and to grow in a more open order.

(Treasure Island, by Robert Louis Stevenson)



 Learn English with... Proverbs 
"Tomorrow is another day." (English proverb)

"The mountains shake but do not fall." (Albanian proverb)

"Man's schemes are inferior to those made by heaven." (Chinese proverb)

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