From Steak to Sweet
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Tap any rung for its meaning.
Two stepping stones: the P (rung 1, for speak) and the R (rung 2, for spear) — each borrowed to keep a rung a real word, then given back before the end. There may be several par routes — the census above shows which ones climbers actually took.
A thick slice of meat, especially beef, for grilling or frying.
From Old Norse 'steik,' meaning a roasted piece of meat, related to the verb 'steikja,' to roast on a spit. The word came into English through contact with Scandinavian languages. It is closely related to the word 'stick,' since meat was cooked on a stick over fire.
Full entry on Wiktionary ↗Having a pleasant sugary taste, or kind and charming.
From Old English 'swēte,' meaning having a pleasant taste, from a Germanic root shared with German 'süß' and Dutch 'zoet.' The word is thought to connect to an ancient root meaning pleasing or agreeable. It has carried both taste and personality meanings for a very long time.
Full entry on Wiktionary ↗Definitions give each word’s most common meaning — the full entries live at Wiktionary.