Adjacent Words

Step definitions

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Webster's 1828 Dictionary

STEP, v.i. [Gr., the foot. The sense is to set, as the foot, or move probably to open or part, to stretch or extend.]
1. To move the foot; to advance or recede by a movement of the foot or feet; as, to step forward, or to step backward.
2. To go; to walk a little distance; as, to step to one of the neighbors.
3. To walk gravely, slowly or resolutely.
Home the swain retreats, his flock before him stepping to the fold.
To step forth, to move or come forth.
To step aside, to walk to a little distance; to retire from company.
To step in or into,
1. To walk or advance into a place or state; or to advance suddenly in John 5.
2. To enter for a short time. I just stepped into the house for a moment.
3. To obtain possession without trouble; to enter upon suddenly; as, to step into an estate.
To step back, to move mentally; to carry the mind back.
They are stepping almost three thousand years back into the remotest antiquity.
STEP, v.t.
1. To set, as the foot.
2. To fix the foot of a mast in the keel; to erect.
STEP, n. [G., to form a step or ledge.]
1. A pace; an advance or movement made by one removal of the foot.
2. One remove in ascending or descending; a stair.
The breadth of every single step or stair should be neer less than one foot.
3. The space passed by the foot in walking or running. The step of one foot is generally five feet; it may be more or less.
4. A small space or distance. Let us go to the gardens; it is but a step.
5. The distance between the feet in walking or running.
6. Gradation; degree. We advance improvement step by step, or by steps.
7. Progression; act of advancing.
To derive two or three general principles of motion from phenomena, and afterwards tell us how the properties and actions of all corporeal things follow from those manifest principles, could be a great step in philosophy.
8. Footstep; print or impression of the foot; track.
9. Gait; manner of walking. The approach of a man is often known by his step.
10. Proceeding; measure; action.
The reputation of a man depends of the first steps he makes in the world.
11. The round of a ladder.
12. Steps in the plural, walk; passage.
Conduct my steps to find the fatal tree in this deep forest.
13. Pieces of timber in which the foot of a mast is fixed.

WordNet (r) 3.0 (2005)

n
1: any maneuver made as part of progress toward a goal; "the situation called for strong measures"; "the police took steps to reduce crime" [syn: measure, step]
2: the distance covered by a step; "he stepped off ten paces from the old tree and began to dig" [syn: footstep, pace, step, stride]
3: the act of changing location by raising the foot and setting it down; "he walked with unsteady steps"
4: support consisting of a place to rest the foot while ascending or descending a stairway; "he paused on the bottom step" [syn: step, stair]
5: relative position in a graded series; "always a step behind"; "subtle gradations in color"; "keep in step with the fashions" [syn: gradation, step]
6: a short distance; "it's only a step to the drugstore" [syn: step, stone's throw]
7: the sound of a step of someone walking; "he heard footsteps on the porch" [syn: footfall, footstep, step]
8: a musical interval of two semitones [syn: tone, whole tone, step, whole step]
9: a mark of a foot or shoe on a surface; "the police made casts of the footprints in the soft earth outside the window" [syn: footprint, footmark, step]
10: a solid block joined to the beams in which the heel of a ship's mast or capstan is fixed
11: a sequence of foot movements that make up a particular dance; "he taught them the waltz step" [syn: dance step, step] v
1: shift or move by taking a step; "step back"
2: put down or press the foot, place the foot; "For fools rush in where angels fear to tread"; "step on the brake" [syn: step, tread]
3: cause (a computer) to execute a single command
4: treat badly; "This boss abuses his workers"; "She is always stepping on others to get ahead" [syn: mistreat, maltreat, abuse, ill-use, step, ill-treat]
5: furnish with steps; "The architect wants to step the terrace"
6: move with one's feet in a specific manner; "step lively"
7: walk a short distance to a specified place or in a specified manner; "step over to the blackboard"
8: place (a ship's mast) in its step
9: measure (distances) by pacing; "step off ten yards" [syn: pace, step]
10: move or proceed as if by steps into a new situation; "She stepped into a life of luxury"; "he won't step into his father's footsteps"

Merriam Webster's

I. noun Etymology: Middle English, from Old English stæpe; akin to Old High German stapfo step, stampf?n to stamp Date: before 12th century 1. a rest for the foot in ascending or descending: as a. one of a series of structures consisting of a riser and a tread b. a ladder rung 2. a. (1) an advance or movement made by raising the foot and bringing it down elsewhere (2) a combination of foot or foot and body movements constituting a unit or a repeated pattern <a dance step> (3) manner of walking ; stride b. footprint 1 c. the sound of a footstep <heard steps in the hall> 3. a. the space passed over in one step b. a short distance <just a step away from the bank> c. the height of one stair 4. plural course, way <directed his steps toward the river> 5. a. a degree, grade, or rank in a scale b. a stage in a process <was guided through every step of my career> 6. a frame on a ship designed to receive an upright shaft; especially a block supporting the heel of a mast 7. an action, proceeding, or measure often occurring as one in a series <taking steps to improve the situation> 8. a steplike offset or part usually occurring in a series 9. an interval in a musical scale 10. step aerobics 11. a slight lead in or as if in a race <has a step on the competition> • steplike adjective • stepped adjective II. verb (stepped; stepping) Date: before 12th century intransitive verb 1. a. to move by raising the foot and bringing it down elsewhere or by moving each foot in succession b. dance 2. a. to go on foot ; walk b. obsolete advance, proceed c. to be on one's way ; leave — often used with along d. to move briskly <kept us stepping> 3. to press down with the foot <step on the brake> 4. to come as if at a single step <stepped into a good job> transitive verb 1. to take by moving the feet in succession <step three paces> 2. a. to move (the foot) in any direction ; set <the first man to step foot on the moon> <hasn't stepped foot in our house since the quarrel> b. to traverse on foot 3. to go through the steps of ; perform <step a minuet> 4. to make erect by fixing the lower end in a step <step the mast> 5. to measure by steps <step off 50 yards> 6. a. to provide with steps b. to make steps in <step a key> 7. to construct or arrange in or as if in steps <craggy peaks with terraces stepped up the sides — Time>

Oxford Reference Dictionary

n. & v. --n. 1 a the complete movement of one leg in walking or running (took a step forward). b the distance covered by this. 2 a unit of movement in dancing. 3 a measure taken, esp. one of several in a course of action (took steps to prevent it; considered it a wise step). 4 a a surface on which a foot is placed on ascending or descending a stair or tread. b a block of stone or other platform before a door, altar, etc. c the rung of a ladder. d a notch cut for a foot in ice-climbing. e a platform etc. in a vehicle provided for stepping up or down. 5 a short distance (only a step from my door). 6 the sound or mark made by a foot in walking etc. (heard a step on the stairs). 7 the manner of walking etc. as seen or heard (know her by her step). 8 a a degree in the scale of promotion, advancement, or precedence. b one of a series of fixed points on a payscale etc. 9 a stepping (or not stepping) in time with others or music (esp. in or out of step). b the state of conforming to what others are doing (refuses to keep step with the team). 10 (in pl.) (also pair of steps sing.) = STEPLADDER. 11 esp. US Mus. a melodic interval of one degree of the scale, i.e. a tone or semitone. 12 Naut. a block, socket, or platform supporting a mast. --v. (stepped, stepping) 1 intr. lift and set down one's foot or alternate feet in walking. 2 intr. come or go in a specified direction by stepping. 3 intr. make progress in a specified way (stepped into a new job). 4 tr. (foll. by off, out) measure (distance) by stepping. 5 tr. perform (a dance). 6 tr. Naut. set up (a mast) in a step. Phrases and idioms: in a person's steps following a person's example. mind (or watch) one's step be careful. step by step gradually; cautiously; by stages or degrees. step-cut (of a gem) cut in straight facets round the centre. step down 1 resign from a position etc. 2 Electr. decrease (voltage) by using a transformer. step in 1 enter a room, house, etc. 2 a intervene to help or hinder. b act as a substitute for an indisposed colleague etc. step-in attrib.adj. (of a garment) put on by being stepped into without unfastening. --n. such a garment. step it dance. step on it (or on the gas etc.) colloq. 1 accelerate a motor vehicle. 2 hurry up. step out 1 leave a room, house, etc. 2 be active socially. 3 take large steps. stepping-stone 1 a raised stone, usu. one of a set in a stream, muddy place, etc., to help in crossing. 2 a means or stage of progress to an end. step this way a deferential formula meaning 'follow me'. step up 1 increase, intensify (must step up production). 2 Electr. increase (voltage) using a transformer. turn one's steps go in a specified direction. Derivatives: steplike adj. stepped adj. stepwise adv. & adj. Etymology: OE stæpe, stepe (n.), stæppan, steppan (v.), f. Gmc

Webster's 1913 Dictionary

Step Step, n. (Fives) At Eton College, England, a shallow step dividing the court into an inner and an outer portion.

Webster's 1913 Dictionary

Step Step, v. i. [imp. & p. p. Stepped; p. pr. & vb. n. Stepping.] [AS. st[ae]ppan; akin to OFries. steppa, D. stappen to step, stap a step, OHG. stepfen to step, G. stapfe a footstep, OHG. stapfo, G. stufe a step to step on; cf. Gr. ? to shake about, handle roughly, stamp (?). Cf. Stamp, n. & a.] 1. To move the foot in walking; to advance or recede by raising and moving one of the feet to another resting place, or by moving both feet in succession. 2. To walk; to go on foot; esp., to walk a little distance; as, to step to one of the neighbors. 3. To walk slowly, gravely, or resolutely. Home the swain retreats, His flock before him stepping to the fold. --Thomson. 4. Fig.: To move mentally; to go in imagination. They are stepping almost three thousand years back into the remotest antiquity. --Pope. To step aside, to walk a little distance from the rest; to retire from company. To step forth, to move or come forth. To step in or into. (a) To walk or advance into a place or state, or to advance suddenly in. Whosoever then first, after the troubling of the water, stepped in, was made whole of whatsoever disease he had. --John v. 4. (b) To enter for a short time; as, I just stepped into the house. (c) To obtain possession without trouble; to enter upon easily or suddenly; as, to step into an estate. To step out. (a) (Mil.) To increase the length, but not the rapidity, of the step, extending it to thirty-tree inches. (b) To go out for a short distance or a short time. To step short (Mil.), to diminish the length or rapidity of the step according to the established rules.

Webster's 1913 Dictionary

Step Step, v. t. 1. To set, as the foot. 2. (Naut.) To fix the foot of (a mast) in its step; to erect. To step off, to measure by steps, or paces; hence, to divide, as a space, or to form a series of marks, by successive measurements, as with dividers.

Webster's 1913 Dictionary

Step Step, n. [AS. st[ae]pe. See Step, v. i.] 1. An advance or movement made by one removal of the foot; a pace. 2. A rest, or one of a set of rests, for the foot in ascending or descending, as a stair, or a round of a ladder. The breadth of every single step or stair should be never less than one foot. --Sir H. Wotton. 3. The space passed over by one movement of the foot in walking or running; as, one step is generally about three feet, but may be more or less. Used also figuratively of any kind of progress; as, he improved step by step, or by steps. To derive two or three general principles of motion from phenomena, and afterwards to tell us how the properties and actions of all corporeal things follow from those manifest principles, would be a very great step in philosophy. --Sir I. Newton. 4. A small space or distance; as, it is but a step. 5. A print of the foot; a footstep; a footprint; track. 6. Gait; manner of walking; as, the approach of a man is often known by his step. 7. Proceeding; measure; action; an act. The reputation of a man depends on the first steps he makes in the world. --Pope. Beware of desperate steps. The darkest day, Live till to-morrow, will have passed away. --Cowper. I have lately taken steps . . . to relieve the old gentleman's distresses. --G. W. Cable. 8. pl. Walk; passage. Conduct my steps to find the fatal tree. --Dryden. 9. pl. A portable framework of stairs, much used indoors in reaching to a high position. 10. (Naut.) In general, a framing in wood or iron which is intended to receive an upright shaft; specif., a block of wood, or a solid platform upon the keelson, supporting the heel of the mast. 11. (Mach.) (a) One of a series of offsets, or parts, resembling the steps of stairs, as one of the series of parts of a cone pulley on which the belt runs. (b) A bearing in which the lower extremity of a spindle or a vertical shaft revolves. 12. (Mus.) The intervak between two contiguous degrees of the csale. Note: The word tone is often used as the name of this interval; but there is evident incongruity in using tone for indicating the interval between tones. As the word scale is derived from the Italian scala, a ladder, the intervals may well be called steps. 13. (Kinematics) A change of position effected by a motion of translation. --W. K. Clifford. Back step, Half step, etc. See under Back, Half, etc. Step grate, a form of grate for holding fuel, in which the bars rise above one another in the manner of steps. To take steps, to take action; to move in a matter.

Webster's 1913 Dictionary

Hop Hop, n. 1. A leap on one leg, as of a boy; a leap, as of a toad; a jump; a spring. 2. A dance; esp., an informal dance of ball. [Colloq.] Hop, skip (or step), and jump, a game or athletic sport in which the participants cover as much ground as possible by a hop, stride, and jump in succession.

Collin's Cobuild Dictionary

(steps, stepping, stepped) Frequency: The word is one of the 700 most common words in English. 1. If you take a step, you lift your foot and put it down in a different place, for example when you are walking. I took a step towards him... She walked on a few steps... He heard steps in the corridor. N-COUNT 2. If you step on something or step in a particular direction, you put your foot on the thing or move your foot in that direction. This was the moment when Neil Armstrong became the first man to step on the Moon... She accidentally stepped on his foot on a crowded commuter train... VERB: V prep/adv, V prep/adv 3. Steps are a series of surfaces at increasing or decreasing heights, on which you put your feet in order to walk up or down to a different level. This little room was along a passage and down some steps... A flight of stone steps leads to the terrace. N-COUNT 4. A step is a raised flat surface in front of a door. A little girl was sitting on the step of the end house... N-COUNT see also doorstep 5. A step is one of a series of actions that you take in order to achieve something. He greeted the agreement as the first step towards peace... She is not content with her present lot and wishes to take steps to improve it... N-COUNT: oft N prep/adv 6. A step in a process is one of a series of stages. The next step is to put the theory into practice... = stage N-COUNT 7. The steps of a dance are the sequences of foot movements which make it up. = movement N-COUNT 8. Someone's step is the way they walk. He quickened his step... N-SING: poss N 9. If you stay one step ahead of someone or something, you manage to achieve more than they do or avoid competition or danger from them. Successful travel is partly a matter of keeping one step ahead of the crowd... PHRASE: PHR after v, v-link PHR 10. If people who are walking or dancing are in step, they are moving their feet forward at exactly the same time as each other. If they are out of step, their feet are moving forward at different times. They were almost the same height and they moved perfectly in step... PHRASE: PHR after v 11. If people are in step with each other, their ideas or opinions are the same. If they are out of step with each other, their ideas or opinions are different. Moscow is anxious to stay in step with Washington... PHRASE: usu PHR with n 12. If you tell someone to step on it, you are telling them to go faster or hurry up. (INFORMAL) We've only got thirty-five minutes so step on it. = get a move on PHRASE 13. If you do something step by step, you do it by progressing gradually from one stage to the next. I am not rushing things and I'm taking it step by step... Follow our simple step-by-step instructions. PHRASE: PHR with v, PHR n 14. If someone tells you to watch your step, they are warning you to be careful about how you behave or what you say so that you do not get into trouble. PHRASE

Soule's Dictionary of English Synonyms

I. n. 1. Pace. 2. Stair. 3. Degree, grade, gradation. 4. Advancement, progression, advance. 5. Action, act, deed, proceeding, measure, procedure. 6. Footstep, footprint, track, trace, vestige. 7. Gait, walk. 8. Measure, means, method, expedient. 9. Round (of a ladder), rundle. 10. Short distance, stone's throw, small space, few steps. 11. Remove. II. v. n. Walk.

Moby Thesaurus

abdicate, accelerate, accomplished fact, accomplishment, according to, ace, achievement, act, acta, action, activity, ad hoc measure, adventure, amble, ambulate, amount, ankle, answer, appraise, appreciate, approach, appropriate to, arabesque, artifice, assay, assess, attempt, band, be alert, be careful, be cautious, bed, bedding, belt, bestride, bid, bit, blow, boost, boss, bound, bow out, bowshot, brief span, bump, bypass, calculate, caliber, calibrate, caliper, canter, career, chasse, check a parameter, circumambulate, clip, clop, close quarters, close range, colophon, compass, compute, concavity, consecutive intervals, consistent with, contrivance, conventional, convexity, couche, countermove, coup, coupe, course, course of action, crack, cross, cut, dactylogram, dactylograph, dealings, deck, decrease, deed, degree, demarche, dent, device, dial, diapason, diatessaron, diatonic interval, diatonic semitone, diminish, dint, direction, divide, do something, dodge, doing, doings, doorstep, drag, droop, earreach, earshot, eccentric, effort, embossment, endeavor, enharmonic diesis, enharmonic interval, enterprise, escalate, essay, estimate, evaluate, excrescence, exercise care, expedient, experiment, exploit, extent, fait accompli, fathom, feat, fifth, fingerprint, fling, floor, flounce, foot, foot it, footfall, footmark, footprint, footrest, footstep, ford, fossil footprint, fourth, fox-trot, gait, gallery, gallop, gambade, gambado, gambit, gauge, gest, get, get ahead of, gimmick, git, go, go across, go by, go out, gradation, grade, gradually, graduate, grapevine, gunshot, hair, hair space, hairbreadth, hairsbreadth, half step, halftone, hand, handiwork, hasten, height, hightail, hippety-hop, hitch, hobble, hoof, hoof it, hoofbeat, hop, hop along, hotfoot, hurry up, ichnite, ichnolite, impress, impression, imprint, improve, improvisation, in keeping with, in step with, inch, increase, indent, indentation, indention, initiative, intensify, intercede, interfere, interval, intervene, jaywalk, job, jog, jog on, journey, journeying, jump, jury-rig, jury-rigged expedient, kinky, last expedient, last resort, last shift, layer, leap, leave, ledge, leg, leg it, less semitone, level, lick, limp, little, little ways, lock step, look, lope, lump, lurch, make haste, make tracks, makeshift, maneuver, mark, means, measure, measures, melodic interval, mensurate, mete, meter, mince, mincing steps, motion, move, movement, notch, note, nuance, octave, offbeat, offer, operation, overlayer, overstory, overstride, overt act, pace, pad, paddle, parallel octaves, pas, pass, pass by, pass over, passage, path, paw print, pawmark, pedestrianize, peg, perambulate, performance, period, peripateticate, piaffer, pimple, pis aller, pistol shot, pitch, plane, plateau, plumb, point, prance, print, prize, probe, procedure, proceed, proceeding, process, production, progress, progression, proportion, pug, pugmark, quantify, quantize, quickstep, quit, rack, raise, range, rate, ratio, reach, reduce, remove, res gestae, resign, resort, resource, rest, retire, riser, roll, round, route, routine, run, rundle, rung, saunter, scale, scope, scuttle, seal, seam, secede, second, semitone, seventh, shade, shadow, shake-up, shamble, shelf, shift, shoot ahead of, short distance, short piece, short way, shot, shuffle, shuffle along, sidle, sigil, signet, single-foot, sixth, size, size up, skip, slink, slither, slouch, slowly, slowness, socialize, solution, sound, space, span, speed up, spitting distance, spoke, spoor, spring, sprint, stab, stage, stagger, stair, staircase, stairs, stairway, stalk, stamp, standard, stave, steadily, step along, step by step, step down, step in, step lively, step on it, step out, step stool, step up, stepladder, stepping-stone, steps, stint, stoop, stopgap, story, straddle, stratagem, stratum, stride, string, stroke, stroke of policy, stroll, strolling gait, strong bid, strut, stud, stump it, stunt, substratum, superstratum, survey, swagger, swing, tactic, take a reading, take care, take heed, take steps, temporary expedient, tentative, thickness, thing, thing done, third, thumbmark, thumbprint, tier, toddle, tone, topsoil, totter, tour de force, trace, track, tract, traditional, traipse, transaction, travel, travels, tread, trial, trial and error, triangulate, trick, trip, troop, trot, trump, try, turn, unconventional, underlayer, understory, understratum, undertaking, unison interval, up, valuate, value, velocity, vestige, waddle, walk, way, weigh, whack, whole step, withdraw, work, working hypothesis, working proposition, works, zone