step

Nouns

• (n) any maneuver made as part of progress toward a goal
  • the situation called for strong measures
  • the police took steps to reduce crime
  measure,
• (n) the distance covered by a step
  • he stepped off ten paces from the old tree and began to dig
  pace, stride, footstep,
• (n) the act of changing location by raising the foot and setting it down
  • he walked with unsteady steps
• (n) support consisting of a place to rest the foot while ascending or descending a stairway
  • he paused on the bottom step
  stair,
• (n) relative position in a graded series
  • always a step behind
  • subtle gradations in color
  • keep in step with the fashions
  gradation,
• (n) a short distance
  • it's only a step to the drugstore
  stone's throw,
• (n) the sound of a step of someone walking
  • he heard footsteps on the porch
  footfall, footstep,
• (n) a musical interval of two semitones whole step, whole tone, tone,
• (n) a mark of a foot or shoe on a surface
  • the police made casts of the footprints in the soft earth outside the window
  footmark, footprint,
• (n) a solid block joined to the beams in which the heel of a ship's mast or capstan is fixed
• (n) a sequence of foot movements that make up a particular dance
  • he taught them the waltz step
  dance step,

Verbs

• (v) shift or move by taking a step
  • step back
• (v) put down or press the foot, place the foot
  • For fools rush in where angels fear to tread
  • step on the brake
  tread,
• (v) cause (a computer) to execute a single command
• (v) treat badly
  • This boss abuses his workers
  • She is always stepping on others to get ahead
  abuse, ill-treat, ill-use, maltreat, mistreat,
• (v) furnish with steps
  • The architect wants to step the terrace
• (v) move with one's feet in a specific manner
  • step lively
• (v) walk a short distance to a specified place or in a specified manner
  • step over to the blackboard
• (v) place (a ship's mast) in its step
• (v) measure (distances) by pacing
  • step off ten yards
  pace,
• (v) 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

Synonyms

See also

Words of close approximity