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1 deep

Pronounced:

/ˈdi:p/Listen to audio

Function:

adjective

Inflected forms:

deep·er; deep·est

Meaning:

1 a : having a large distance to the bottom from the surface or highest point We walked in the deep snow. a deep well/pool/hole a deep valley between the mountains The water is deepest in the middle of the lake. She's afraid of swimming in deep water. a plant with deep rootsoften used figuratively The tradition has deep roots in our culture.opposite shallow b : going far inward from the outside or the front edge of something The house has lots of deep closets. deep shelves She has a small but deep wound on her arm.opposite shallow c : located far inside something —usually + in or within The animals live deep in/within the forest/jungle/mountains, far from any people. His hands were deep in his pockets. The sound came from deep within his throat.often used figuratively The memories were hidden deep in his mind. [=he had not thought about the memories in a long time] I knew deep in my heart [=I believed very strongly] that we would succeed.
2 not used before a noun : having a specified measurement downward, inward, or backward This enormous canyon is over a mile deep. The shelves are 10 inches deep. We walked through knee-deep snow [=snow as high as our knees] to get to school. The basement was waist-deep in water. [=the top of the water that filled the basement was as high as a person's waist] He stepped into an ankle-deep puddle of mud.see also skin-deep
3 a : located near the outside edges of an area (baseball) He hit a fly ball to deep right field. b : hit, thrown, or kicked a long distance The quarterback threw a deep [=long] pass into the end zone.
4 : done by taking in or breathing out a large amount of air Take a deep breath and try to relax. a deep sigh
5 : low in sound or musical pitch I could hear my father's deep voice from down the street. a deep bass lineopposite high
6 : having a dark, strong color She painted white clouds in a deep blue sky. The walls were a deep red. deep rich colorsopposite light, pale
7 : very intelligent and serious but complex or difficult to understand She's always been a deep [=profound] thinker. = She's very deep. This book is far too deep for me. He has some very deep thoughts on the issue. a deep discussion on the meaning of life
8 : full of mystery The main character has a deep, dark secret that is revealed at the end of the movie.
9 a : completely involved in an activity : concentrating and giving all of your attention to something —+ in He was so deep in thought that he didn't hear us come in. We spent the next few hours deep in conversation. b : affected by something in a very serious way —+ in They found themselves deep in debt. [=they had a lot of debt; they owed a large amount of money]
10 : very bad, serious, or severe The country's economy fell into a deep depression/recession. There are still deep divisions within the group. [=people in the group have very different opinions and can't agree] Many people here live in deep poverty. [=many people are very poor] The entire family was in deep shock after hearing about the accident. I got in deep trouble with my parents for staying out too late.
11 : very strongly felt I offered them my deepest sympathy. They shared a deep [=profound] concern for the environment. She felt a deep [=heartfelt] connection with the culture. a deep sense of happiness and well-being the deep emotional bond between parent and child deep feelings of loss The book made a deep impression on his young mind.
12 : full, complete, or thorough She has a deep understanding of the company's needs. If you are in a deep sleep, you are thoroughly asleep and it is hard to wake you up. He fell into a deep sleep and didn't wake up until the afternoon.
13 US : going down to a very low price, level, etc. a deep reduction in price The store offered deep discounts during the grand opening sale.
14 US sports : having many good players The team is very deep this year. The baseball team has a deep bullpen.
in deep water
: in a difficult situation : in trouble I thought I could handle the work, but I soon found myself in deep water.
the deep end
informal 1used in phrases like throw in (at) the deep end and jump in (at) the deep end to describe starting a new and difficult activity when you are not fully prepared or ready to do it After graduating, he was not afraid to jump in at the deep end and start his new business alone. Teachers are thrown in the deep end when they first start teaching.
2 To go off the deep end is to go crazy, such as by behaving foolishly or by becoming very angry or upset. Her friends thought she had gone off the deep end when she suddenly decided to quit her job. After his wife died, he started going off the deep end. I understand that you're angry, but there's no reason to go off the deep end.
—deep·ness noun [noncount] the deepness [=depth] of the water
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