step

Plural: steps

Noun

• any maneuver made as part of progress toward a goal
  • "the police took steps to reduce crime"
• the distance covered by a step
  • "he stepped off ten paces from the old tree and began to dig"
• the act of changing location by raising the foot and setting it down
  • "he walked with unsteady steps"
• support consisting of a place to rest the foot while ascending or descending a stairway
  • "he paused on the bottom step"
• relative position in a graded series
  • "always a step behind"
  • "keep in step with the fashions"
• a short distance
  • "it's only a step to the drugstore"
• the sound of a step of someone walking
  • "he heard footsteps on the porch"
• a musical interval of two semitones
• a mark of a foot or shoe on a surface
• a solid block joined to the beams in which the heel of a ship's mast or capstan is fixed
• a sequence of foot movements that make up a particular dance
  • "he taught them the waltz step"
• An advance or movement made from one foot to the other; a pace.
• A rest, or one of a set of rests, for the foot in ascending or descending, as a stair, or a rung of a ladder.
• The part of a spade, digging stick or similar tool that a digger's foot rests against and presses on when digging; an ear, a foot-rest.
• The button joining a glass's stem to its foot.
• A distinct part of a process; stage; phase.
• A running board where passengers step to get on and off the bus.
• The space passed over by one movement of the foot in walking or running.
• A small space or distance.
• A print of the foot; a footstep; a footprint; track.
• A gait; manner of walking.
• Proceeding; measure; action; act.
• A walk; passage.
• A portable framework of stairs, much used indoors in reaching to a high position.
• A framing in wood or iron which is intended to receive an upright shaft; specifically, a block of wood, or a solid platform upon the keelson, supporting the heel of the mast.
• 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.
• A bearing in which the lower extremity of a spindle or a vertical shaft revolves.
• The interval between two contiguous degrees of the scale.
• A change of position effected by a motion of translation.
• A constant difference between consecutive values in a series.
• Kick scooter.
• Stepping (style of dance)
• A stepchild.
• A stepsibling.

Verb

Verb Forms: stepped, stepping, steps

• To move by lifting one foot and placing it elsewhere.
• shift or move by taking a step
  • "step back"
• put down or press the foot, place the foot
  • "step on the brake"
• cause (a computer) to execute a single command
• treat badly
  • "She is always stepping on others to get ahead"
• furnish with steps
  • "The architect wants to step the terrace"
• move with one's feet in a specific manner
  • "step lively"
• walk a short distance to a specified place or in a specified manner
  • "step over to the blackboard"
• place (a ship's mast) in its step
• measure (distances) by pacing
  • "step off ten yards"
• 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"
• 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.
• To walk; to go on foot; especially, to walk a little distance.
• To walk slowly, gravely, or resolutely.
• To dance.
• To move mentally; to go in imagination.
• To set, as the foot.
• To fix the foot of (a mast) in its step; to erect.
• To advance a process gradually, one step at a time.
• To depart.
• To be confrontational.

Examples

• Each strategic step on the Scrabble board brought him closer to victory.
• He improved step by step, or by steps.
• It is but a step.
• One step is generally about three feet, but may be more or less.
• Printing from 0 to 9 with a step of 3 will display 0, 3, 6 and 9.
• The approach of a man is often known by his step.
• The driver must have a clear view of the step in order to prevent accidents.
• The first step is to find a job.
• to step to one of the neighbors
• You best step, cuz things are about to jump off.
• You tryna be steppin right now? You better bring it if so.

Synonyms

abuse, dance step, footfall, footmark, footprint, footstep, gradation, ill-treat, ill-use, maltreat, measure, mistreat, pace, stair, stone's throw, stride, tone, tread, whole step, whole tone

Antonyms

step off#Verb

Related Words

step-