step

[step]

SEE MORE SYNONYMS FOR step ON THESAURUS.COM

noun

a movement made by lifting the foot and setting it down again in a new position, accompanied by a shifting of the weight of the body in the direction of the new position, as in walking, running, or dancing.

such a movement followed by a movement of equal distance of the other foot: The soldier took one step forward and stood at attention.

the space passed over or the distance measured by one such movement of the foot.

the sound made by the foot in making such a movement.

a mark or impression made by the foot on the ground; footprint.

the manner of walking; gait; stride.

pace in marching: double-quick step.

a pace uniform with that of another or others, or in time with music.

steps, movements or course in walking or running: to retrace one's steps.

a move, act, or proceeding, as toward some end or in the general course of some action; stage, measure, or period: the five steps to success.

rank, degree, or grade, as on a vertical scale.

a support for the foot in ascending or descending: a step of a ladder; a stair of 14 steps.

a very short distance: She was never more than a step away from her children.

a repeated pattern or unit of movement in a dance formed by a combination of foot and body motions.

step aerobics.

Music.

a degree of the staff or of the scale.
the interval between two adjacent scale degrees; second.Compare semitone, whole step.

steps, British. a stepladder.

an offset part of anything.

Nautical. a socket, frame, or platform for supporting the lower end of a mast.

Mining. a flat-topped ledge on the face of a quarry or a mine working.

verb (used without object), stepped, step·ping.

to move, go, etc., by lifting the foot and setting it down again in a new position, or by using the feet alternately in this manner: to step forward.

to walk, or go on foot, especially for a few strides or a short distance: Step over to the bar.

to move with measured steps, as in a dance.

to go briskly or fast, as a horse.

to obtain, find, win, come upon, etc., something easily and naturally, as if by a mere step of the foot: to step into a good business opportunity.

to put the foot down; tread by intention or accident: to step on a cat's tail.

to press with the foot, as on a lever, spring, or the like, in order to operate some mechanism.

verb (used with object), stepped, step·ping.

to take (a step, pace, stride, etc.).

to go through or perform the steps of (a dance).

to move or set (the foot) in taking a step.

to measure (a distance, ground, etc.) by steps (sometimes followed by off or out).

to make or arrange in the manner of a series of steps.

Nautical. to fix (a mast) in its step.

Verb Phrases

step down,

to lower or decrease by degrees.
to relinquish one's authority or control; resign: Although he was past retirement age, he refused to step down and let his son take over the business.

step in, to become involved; intervene, as in a quarrel or fight: The brawl was well under way by the time the police stepped in.

step out,

to leave a place, especially for a brief period of time.
to walk or march at a more rapid pace.
to go out to a social gathering or on a date: We're stepping out tonight.

step up,

to raise or increase by degrees: to step up production.
to be promoted; advance.
to make progress; improve.

Idioms

break step, to interrupt or cease walking or marching in step: The marching units were allowed to break step after they had passed the reviewing stand.

in step,

moving in time to a rhythm or with the corresponding step of others.
in harmony or conformity with: They are not in step with the times.

keep step, to keep pace; stay in step: The construction of classrooms and the training of teachers have not kept step with population growth.

out of step,

not in time to a rhythm or corresponding to the step of others.
not in harmony or conformity with: They are out of step with the others in their group.

step by step,

from one stage to the next in sequence.
gradually and steadily: We were shown the steelmaking process step by step.

step on it, Informal. to hasten one's activity or steps; hurry up: If we don't step on it, we'll miss the show.

take steps, to set about putting something into operation; begin to act: I will take steps to see that your application is processed.

watch one's step, to proceed with caution; behave prudently: If she doesn't watch her step, she will be fired from her job.

Origin of step

before 900; (v.) Middle English steppen, Old English steppan; cognate with Old High German stepfen; akin to stamp; (noun) Middle English; Old English stepe

Related formsstep·less, adjectivestep·like, adjectivecoun·ter·step, noun, verb, coun·ter·stepped, coun·ter·step·ping.out·step, verb (used with object), out·stepped, out·step·ping.un·der·step, noun

Can be confusedstep steppe

step-

a prefix denoting connection between members of a family by the remarriage of a parent and not by blood: stepbrother.

Origin of step-

Middle English; Old English stēop-; cognate with German stief-, Old Norse stjūp- step-; akin to Old English āstēpan to bereave, bestēpan to deprive (of children)

Dictionary.com Unabridged Based on the Random House Unabridged Dictionary, © Random House, Inc. 2019

Related Words for step

stride, point, advance, means, process, measure, start, act, phase, procedure, stage, stair, tread, dance, skip, tiptoe, walk, vestige, impression, gait

Examples from the Web for step

Contemporary Examples of step

Plenty of conservative commentators have said he should step down from his leadership position.
Today’s GOP: Still Cool With Racist Pandering?
Michael Tomasky
January 7, 2015
But Brooke was out of step with the New Left and its notion of radical chic.
Ed Brooke: The Senate's Civil Rights Pioneer and Prophet of a Post-Racial America
John Avlon
January 4, 2015
In the 21st century women are earning their equality every step of the way… including the bedroom.
Career-Minded Women Turn to Male Escorts For No-Strings Fun and (Maybe) Sex
Aurora Snow
January 3, 2015
The train was already in motion as she tried to step inside, and her body was crushed beneath it.
Riding Thailand’s WWII Death Railway
Liza Foreman
December 21, 2014
Out of step with his own party, the libertarian-leaning senator plays to his original base.
Presidential Hopeful Rand Paul Backs Obama on Cuba Deal
Olivia Nuzzi
December 18, 2014

Historical Examples of step

As I approached nearer I saw at every step new tokens of my friends.
Philothea
Lydia Maria Child
"Taken the first step toward a good dinner," said the other, coolly.
Brave and Bold
Horatio Alger
“Would that you had been with us,” said Ambrose, sitting down beside him on the step.
The Armourer's Prentices
Charlotte M. Yonge
He walked, indeed, with a step of amazing springiness for a man of his years.
The Spenders
Harry Leon Wilson
In this a step in advance of some of our neighbours was taken.
Explorations in Australia
John Forrest

British Dictionary definitions for step

step

noun

the act of motion brought about by raising the foot and setting it down again in coordination with the transference of the weight of the body

the distance or space covered by such a motion

the sound made by such a movement

the impression made by such movement of the foot; footprint

the manner of walking or moving the feet; gaithe received his prize with a proud step

a sequence of foot movements that make up a particular dance or part of a danceI have mastered the steps of the waltz

any of several paces or rhythmic movements in marching, dancing, etcthe goose step

(plural) a course followed by a person in walking or as walkingthey followed in their leader's steps

one of a sequence of separate consecutive stages in the progression towards some goalanother step towards socialism

a rank or grade in a series or scalehe was always a step behind

an object or device that offers support for the foot when ascending or descending

(plural) a flight of stairs, esp out of doors

(plural) another name for stepladder

a very short easily walked distanceit is only a step to my place

music a melodic interval of a secondSee whole tone, half-step

an offset or change in the level of a surface similar to the step of a stair

a strong block or frame bolted onto the keel of a vessel and fitted to receive the base of a mast

a ledge cut in mining or quarrying excavations

break step to cease to march in step

in step

marching, dancing, etc, in conformity with a specified pace or moving in unison with others
informalin agreement or harmony

keep step to remain walking, marching, dancing, etc, in unison or in a specified rhythm

out of step

not moving in conformity with a specified pace or in accordance with others
informalnot in agreement; out of harmony

step by step with care and deliberation; gradually

take steps to undertake measures (to do something) with a view to the attainment of some end

watch one's step

informalto conduct oneself with caution and good behaviour
to walk or move carefully

verb steps, stepping or stepped

(intr) to move by raising the foot and then setting it down in a different position, transferring the weight of the body to this foot and repeating the process with the other foot

(intr; often foll by in, out, etc) to move or go on foot, esp for a short distancestep this way, ladies

(intr) informal, mainly US to move, often in an attractive graceful manner, as in dancinghe can really step around

(intr; usually foll by on or upon) to place or press the foot; treadto step on the accelerator

(intr usually foll by into) to enter (into a situation) apparently with easeshe stepped into a life of luxury

(tr) to walk or take (a number of paces, etc)to step ten paces

(tr) to perform the steps ofthey step the tango well

(tr) to set or place (the foot)

(tr; usually foll by off or out) to measure (some distance of ground) by stepping

(tr) to arrange in or supply with a series of steps so as to avoid coincidence or symmetry

(tr) to raise (a mast) and fit it into its step

See also step down, step in, step on, step out, step up

Derived Formssteplike, adjective

Word Origin for step

Old English stepe, stæpe; related to Old Frisian stap, stepe, Old High German stapfo (German Stapfe footprint), Old Norse stapi high rock

Step

noun

a set of aerobic exercises designed to improve the cardiovascular system, which consists of stepping on and off a special box of adjustable height
(as modifier)Step aerobics

STEP

n acronym for

Special Temporary Employment Programme

step-

combining form

indicating relationship through the previous marriage of a spouse or parent rather than by bloodstepson; stepfather

Word Origin for step-

Old English stēop-; compare āstӯpan to bereave

Collins English Dictionary - Complete & Unabridged 2012 Digital Edition © William Collins Sons & Co. Ltd. 1979, 1986 © HarperCollins Publishers 1998, 2000, 2003, 2005, 2006, 2007, 2009, 2012

Word Origin and History for step

Old English steppan (Anglian), stæppan (West Saxon) "take a step," from West Germanic *stap- "tread" (cf. Old Frisian, Middle Dutch, Dutch stap, Old High German stapfo, German stapfe "footstep"), from PIE root *stebh- "to tread, step" (cf. Old Church Slavonic stopa "step, pace," stepeni "step, degree"). Originally strong (past tense stop, past participle bestapen); weak forms emerged 13c., universal from 16c. Stepping stone first recorded early 14c.; in the figurative sense 1650s. Step on it "hurry up" is 1923, from notion of gas pedal; step out (v.) is from 1907.

Old English steppa (Mercian), stæpe, stepe (West Saxon) "stair, act of stepping," from the source of step (v.). Meaning "action which leads toward a result" is recorded from 1540s. Warning phrase watch your step is attested from 1934. Step-dancing first recorded 1886.

step-

Old English steop-, with connotations of "loss," in combinations like steopcild "orphan," related to astiepan, bestiepan "to bereave, to deprive of parents or children," from Proto-Germanic *steupa- "bereft" (cf. Old Frisian stiap-, Old Norse stjup-, Swedish styv-, Middle Low German stef-, Dutch stief-, Old High German stiof-, German stief-), literally "pushed out," from PIE *steup-, from root *(s)teu- (see steep (adj.)).

Etymologically, a stepfather or stepmother is one who becomes father or mother to an orphan, but the notion of orphanage faded in 20c. For sense evolution, cf. Latin privignus "stepson," related to privus "deprived."

Idioms and Phrases with step

step

In addition to the idioms beginning with step

step aside
step by step
step down
step in
step in the right direction, a
step into
step into someone's shoes
step on it
step on someone's toes
step out
step out of line
step up

also see:

false step
in step
(step) out of line
take steps
watch one's step