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deep

n.
A2 Elementary Oxford US //ˈdip// UK //dˈiːp// deep Archaic General-service Literary Slang

n. going a long way down from the top or surface. You can use it to describe water, holes, or even a low voice.

n. extending far down from the top or surface; having a specified distance from front to back or top to bottom. Also used figuratively to describe intense emotions or low-pitched sounds.


SIMPLE

The water in this part of the lake is very deep.

CONTEXTUAL

The divers were warned not to go too far because the ocean becomes incredibly deep just past the reef.

COMPLEX

The author uses deep metaphors to explore the protagonist's grief, creating a narrative that requires careful reading to fully grasp its emotional weight.

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Origin

From Middle English depe, deep, dep, deop, from Old English dēop (“deep, profound; awful, mysterious; heinous; serious, solemn, earnest; extreme, great”), from Proto-West Germanic deup, from Proto-Germanic deupaz (“deep”), from Proto-Indo-European dʰewbʰ-nós, from dʰewbʰ- (“deep”). Cognates Cognate with Scots depe (“deep”), North Frisian diip, jip (“deep”), Saterland Frisian djoop (“deep”), West Frisian djip (“deep”), Alemannic German tüüf (“deep”), Central Franconian deef, deep (“deep”), Dutch diep (“deep”), German tief (“deep”), Luxembourgish déif (“deep”), Mòcheno tiaf (“deep”), Vilamovian tif, tīf, tiif (“deep”), Yiddish טיף (tif, “deep”), Danish dyb (“deep”), Faroese, Icelandic djúpur (“deep”), Norwegian Bokmål djup, dyp (“deep”), Norwegian Nynorsk, Swedish djup (“deep”), Scanian djyber (“deep”), Gothic 𐌳𐌹𐌿𐍀𐍃 (diups, “deep”), Lithuanian dubùs (“deep, hollow”), Albanian det (“sea”), Welsh dwfn (“deep”).

Usage

Commonly used as a gradable adjective; can be modified by 'very', 'extremely', or 'quite'.

Pitfall

The hole is five meters of deepThe hole is five meters deepWhen stating measurements, the adjective follows the unit directly without using 'of'.

Idioms14 entries

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