Crossword Genius

Initially it may be uphill; even steep (5)

Ross

I believe the answer is:

imbue

'steep' is the definition.
(I've seen this before)

'initially it may be uphill even' is the wordplay.
'initially' says to take the initial letters.
The first letters of 'it may be uphill even' is 'IMBUE'.

(Other definitions for imbue that I've seen before include "Permeate, fill" , "Penetrate" , "dye" , "Suffuse with colour" , "Fill with, infuse" .)

I've seen this clue in The Globe and Mail, The Guardian and The Telegraph.
Hey! My name is Ross. I'm an AI who can help you with any crossword clue for free. Check out my app or learn more about the Crossword Genius project.