Etymology tree Proto-Indo-European *dʰewbʰ-der. Proto-Indo-European *dʰewbʰnós Proto-Germanic *deupaz Proto-West Germanic *deup Old English dēop Middle English dep English deep From Middle English dep, deep, depe, 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 and Icelandic djúpur (“deep”), Norwegian Bokmål djup, dyp (“deep”), Norwegian Nynorsk and Swedish djup (“deep”), Scanian djyber (“deep”), Gothic 𐌳𐌹𐌿𐍀𐍃 (diups, “deep”), Lithuanian dubùs (“deep, hollow”), Albanian det (“sea”), Welsh dwfn (“deep”).
Also, Figuratively, Of distance or position Extending far down from the top, or surface, to the bottom, literally or figuratively.
The lake is extremely deep.
We hiked into a deep valley between tall mountains.
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There was a deep layer of dust on the floor; the room had not been disturbed for many years.
In the mid-1970s, the economy went into a deep recession.
We are in deep trouble.
Smooth runnes the Water, where the Brooke is deepe,1591 (date written), William Shakespeare, “The Second Part of Henry the Sixt, […]”, in Mr. William Shakespeares Comedies, Histories, & Tragedies. […] (First Folio), London: […] Isaac Iaggard, and Ed[ward] Blount, published 1623, →OCLC, [Act III, scene i], page 130, column 2:
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Also, Figuratively, Of distance or position Positioned far from the surface or other reference point, especially down through something or into something.
Diving down to deep wrecks can be dangerous.
I can't get the bullet out – it's too deep.
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Also, Figuratively, Of a place, Of distance or position Positioned far from the boundaries of or main approaches to (the specified place); interior.
He [the panda] comes from deepest Asia , high up in the remote mountains of Szechwan and Kansu. In addition to that he is further protected by the fact that he lives in the secure fastnesses of the bamboo jungles.1951, Roy Chapman Andrews, Nature's Ways; how Nature Takes Care of Its Own, page 147
Impressive though Egyptian culture was, it was in deep Africa that Jung came closer to understanding himself as a man.1999, Vivianne Crowley, Jung: A Journey of Transformation, page 91
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Films shot on location in deep Africa were still a rare exсерtion in 1960.2021, Roland Schaefli, John Wayne Was Here, page 97
Herodotus' remark about the Ethiopians 'who lived in the south' would refer to the people from deeper Africa, south of the Atlas Mountains, of whom a small number may here and there have seeped into North Africa, perhaps via the Nile Valley or by trans-Sahara trade routes, […]2025, Louise Cilliers, Roman North Africa
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Also, Figuratively, Of distance or position Far in extent in another (non-downwards, but generally also non-upwards) direction, especially front-to-back.
The shelves are 30 centimetres deep. — They are deep shelves.
That cyclist's deep chest allows him to draw more air.
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Also, Figuratively, In compounds, Of distance or position Extending to a level or length equivalent to the stated thing.
The water was waist-deep.
There is an arm-deep hole in the wall.
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Also, Figuratively, Of distance or position In a (specified) number of rows or layers.
a crowd four deep along the funeral procession, with people two deep on the sidewalks
The fleet of ships was fifty sail deep.
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Also, Figuratively, Of distance or position Voluminous.
to take a deep breath / sigh / drink
Serene, smiling, enigmatic, she faced him with no fear whatever showing in her dark eyes.[…]She put back a truant curl from her forehead where it had sought egress to the world, and looked him full in the face now, drawing a deep breath which caused the round of her bosom to lift the lace at her throat.1910, Emerson Hough, chapter I, in The Purchase Price: Or The Cause of Compromise, Indianapolis, Ind.: The Bobbs-Merrill Company, →OCLC:
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Ball games, Baseball, Cricket, Games, Hobbies, Lifestyle, Softball, SportsAlso, Figuratively, Of distance or position Far from the center of the playing area, near to the boundary of the playing area, either in absolute terms or relative to a point of reference.
He is fielding at deep mid wicket.
She hit a ball into deep center field.
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Hobbies, Lifestyle, Sports, TennisAlso, Figuratively, Of distance or position Penetrating a long way, especially a long way forward.
Our defensive live is too deep. We need to move further up the field.
She returns serve from a very deep position.
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Anatomy, Medicine, SciencesAlso, Figuratively, Often, With to, Of distance or position Further into the body.
the brachialis is deep to the biceps
The superficial fascia surrounds the body and includes subcutaneous fat; the deep fascia surrounds the musculoskeletal system; the meningeal fascia surrounds the nervous system; the visceral fascia surrounds body cavities and organs.2018 November 8, Dr. Melina Jampolis, “The real science behind fascia ailments”, in CNN:
› Complex, involved.
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Profound, having great meaning or import, but possibly obscure or not obvious.
Intellectual; social
That is a deep thought!
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Significant, not superficial, in extent.
Intellectual; social
Your analysis does not cut deep enough yet.
They're in deep discussion.
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And it's me you need to show / How deep is your love?1977, “How Deep is Your Love”, performed by Bee Gees:
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Hard to penetrate or comprehend; profound; intricate; obscure.
Intellectual; social
a deep subject or plot
Why it was that the ancients had no landscape painting, is a question deep almost as the mystery of life, and harder of solution than all the problems of jurisprudence combined.c. 1840, Thomas De Quincey
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Of penetrating or far-reaching intellect; not superficial; thoroughly skilled; sagacious; cunning.
Intellectual; social
Deepe clearks ſhe dumb'sc. 1607–1608 (date written), William Shakespeare, [George Wilkins?], The Late, and Much Admired Play, Called Pericles, Prince of Tyre. […], London: […] [William White and Thomas Creede] for Henry Gosson, […], published 1609, →OCLC, [Act V, scene i]:
I never said I was deep, but I am profoundly shallow / My lack of knowledge is vast, and my horizons are narrow2009, Jarvis Cocker, “I Never Said I Was Deep”, in Further Complications.:
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Inner, underlying, true; relating to one’s inner or private being rather than what is visible on the surface.
Intellectual; social
Or doth she only seem to take The touch of change in calm or storm; But knows no more of transient form In her deep self, than some dead lake That holds the shadow of a lark Hung in the shadow of a heaven?1850, [Alfred, Lord Tennyson], “Canto XVI”, in In Memoriam, London: Edward Moxon, […], →OCLC, page 26:
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Low in pitch.
Sound; voice; sound; voice
She has a very deep contralto voice.
The departure was not unduly prolonged.[…]Within the door Mrs. Spoker hastily imparted to Mrs. Love a few final sentiments on the subject of Divine Intention in the disposition of buckets; farewells and last commiserations; a deep, guttural instigation to the horse; and the wheels of the waggonette crunched heavily away into obscurity.1921, Ben Travers, chapter 5, in A Cuckoo in the Nest, Garden City, N.Y.: Doubleday, Page & Company, published 1925, →OCLC:
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Of a color or flavour Highly saturated; rich.
That's a very deep shade of blue.
The spices impart a deep flavour to the dish.
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The day was cool and snappy for August, and the Rise all green with a lavish nature. Now we plunged into a deep shade with the boughs lacing each other overhead, and crossed dainty, rustic bridges over the cold trout-streams, the boards giving back the clatter of our horses' feet:[…].1897 December (indicated as 1898), Winston Churchill, chapter VIII, in The Celebrity: An Episode, New York, N.Y.: The Macmillan Company; London: Macmillan & Co., Ltd., →OCLC:
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Sound, heavy (describing a state of sleep from which one is not easily awoken).
He was in a deep sleep.
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Muddy; boggy; sandy; said of roads.
The ways in that vale were very deep.1702–1704, Edward [Hyde, 1st] Earl of Clarendon, (please specify |book=I to XVI), in The History of the Rebellion and Civil Wars in England, Begun in the Year 1641. […], Oxford, Oxfordshire: Printed at the [Sheldonian] Theater:
Etymology tree Proto-Indo-European *dʰewbʰ-der. Proto-Indo-European *dʰewbʰnós Proto-Germanic *deupaz Proto-West Germanic *deup Old English dēop Middle English dep English deep From Middle English dep, deep, depe, 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 and Icelandic djúpur (“deep”), Norwegian Bokmål djup, dyp (“deep”), Norwegian Nynorsk and Swedish djup (“deep”), Scanian djyber (“deep”), Gothic 𐌳𐌹𐌿𐍀𐍃 (diups, “deep”), Lithuanian dubùs (“deep, hollow”), Albanian det (“sea”), Welsh dwfn (“deep”).
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Far, especially far down through something or into something, physically or figuratively.
The ogre lived in a cave deep underground.
We ventured deep into the forest.
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His problems lie deep in the subconscious.
I am deep in debt.
Hepaticology, outside the temperate parts of the Northern Hemisphere, still lies deep in the shadow cast by that ultimate "closet taxonomist," Franz Stephani—a ghost whose shadow falls over us all.1992, Rudolf M[athias] Schuster, The Hepaticae and Anthocerotae of North America: East of the Hundredth Meridian, volume V, Chicago, Ill.: Field Museum of Natural History, →ISBN, page vii:
It is one of the ironies of capital cities that each acts as a symbol of its nation, and yet few are even remotely representative of it. London has always set itself apart from the rest of Britain — but political, economic and social trends are conspiring to drive that wedge deeper.2013 September 28, Kenan Malik, “London Is Special, but Not That Special”, in The New York Times, retrieved 28 Sep 2013:
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In a profound, not superficial, manner.
I thought long and deep.
deep-laid
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Deep verſt in books and ſhallow in himſelf,1671, John Milton, “The Fourth Book”, in Paradise Regain’d. A Poem. In IV Books. To which is Added, Samson Agonistes, London: […] J[ohn] M[acock] for John Starkey […], →OCLC, page 95, line 324:
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In large volume.
breathe deep, drink deep
A little Learning is a dang'rous Thing; / Drink deep, or taſte not the Pierian Spring:1711 May, [Alexander Pope], An Essay on Criticism, London: […] W[illiam] Lewis […]; and sold by W[illiam] Taylor […], T[homas] Osborn[e] […], and J[ohn] Graves […], →OCLC, page 14:
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Hobbies, Lifestyle, Sports Back towards one's own goal, baseline, or similar.
He's normally a midfield player, but today he's playing deep.
Etymology tree Proto-Indo-European *dʰewbʰ-der. Proto-Indo-European *dʰewbʰnós Proto-Germanic *deupaz Proto-West Germanic *deup Old English dēop Middle English dep English deep From Middle English dep, deep, depe, 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 and Icelandic djúpur (“deep”), Norwegian Bokmål djup, dyp (“deep”), Norwegian Nynorsk and Swedish djup (“deep”), Scanian djyber (“deep”), Gothic 𐌳𐌹𐌿𐍀𐍃 (diups, “deep”), Lithuanian dubùs (“deep, hollow”), Albanian det (“sea”), Welsh dwfn (“deep”).
How few! yet how they creep / Through my fingers to the deep, / While I weep—while I weep! / O God! can I not grasp / Them with a tighter clasp?1849 March 31, Edgar Allan Poe, “A Dream Within a Dream”, in The Works of the Late Edgar Allan Poe: […], volumes II (Poems and Miscellanies), New York, N.Y.: J. S. Redfield, […], published 1850, →OCLC, page 40:
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A deep hole or pit, a water well; an abyss.
Deep calleth unto deep at the noise of thy waterfalls: All thy waves and thy billows are gone over me.Psalm 42 verse 7
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A deep or innermost part of something in general.
And what delights can equal those That stir the spirit’s inner deeps, When one that loves but knows not, reaps A truth from one that loves and knows?1850, [Alfred, Lord Tennyson], “Canto XLI”, in In Memoriam, London: Edward Moxon, […], →OCLC, page 64:
For our blues we have the azures and ceruleans, lapis lazulis, the light and dusty, the powder blues, the deeps: royal, sapphire, navy, and marine […]2014, William H. Gass, On Being Blue: A Philosophical Inquiry, page 59:
Etymology tree Proto-Indo-European *dʰewbʰ-der. Proto-Indo-European *dʰewbʰnós Proto-Germanic *deupaz Proto-West Germanic *deup Old English dēop Middle English dep English deep From Middle English dep, deep, depe, 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 and Icelandic djúpur (“deep”), Norwegian Bokmål djup, dyp (“deep”), Norwegian Nynorsk and Swedish djup (“deep”), Scanian djyber (“deep”), Gothic 𐌳𐌹𐌿𐍀𐍃 (diups, “deep”), Lithuanian dubùs (“deep, hollow”), Albanian det (“sea”), Welsh dwfn (“deep”).
No Picasso, I don't care about resistance (Deep dat).2019 October 25, “Fact”performed by J. Mulla, MBandz:
I think I better leave it. I don't wanna beat it, this is not a Michael phase. Every time I deep it, man dem wan' eat it. Trying to recycle, babe.2020 February 10, “Daffy Duckin'”performed by Angel, Chaz Marcus:
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I grew up so fucked but I didn't even deep it. I'm numb to the feelin' of grievin'.2021 July 23, “Heart Attack” (track 11), in We're All Alone In This Together, performed by Dave: