1) Cooking technique 
Steeping is the soaking in liquid (usually water) of a solid so as to extract flavours or to soften it. Some teas are prepared for drinking by steeping the leaves in heated water to release the flavour and nutrients. Herbal teas may be prepared by decoction, infusion, or maceration. Some solids are soaked to remove an ingredient, such as salt from...
• (p. pr. & vb. n.) of Steep
(from the article `beer`) Malting begins by immersing barley, harvested at less than 12 percent moisture, in water at 12 to 15 °C (55 to 60 °F) for 40 to 50 hours. During this ... ...results in malt is initiated by adding moisture and is arrested by removing the moisture before the young plant grows out of its seed covering. ......
Covering food with hot or cold water and leaving it to stand, either to soften it or extract its flavour and / or colour.
To prepare grain for germination by soaking in water, usually to 45% moisture.
The same as maceration, botanicals are added to the base alcohol before distillation, soaking the botanicals which helps the base alcohol extract some flavour compounds before the distillation process begins. 
The soaking of crushed specialty grains in hot (approximately 160
Barley grains are steeped in water basins for 24 to 48 hours before malting.