something very steep, or for the ocean to rise (waves) with the storm (see Molina)
Alonso de Molina:
macoquetza. (pret. omacoquetz.) empinarse algo, o levantarse la mar conla tormenta. Alonso de Molina, Vocabulario en lengua castellana y mexicana y mexicana y castellana, 1571, part 2, Nahuatl to Spanish, f. 51r. col. 1. Thanks to Joe Campbell for providing the transcription.