tread

[ tred ]

verb (used without object)

, trod, trod·den or trod, tread·ing.

1. to set down the foot or feet in walking; step; walk.
2. to step, walk, or trample so as to press, crush, or injure something (usually followed by on or upon ):

   to tread on a person's foot.

3. (of a male bird) to copulate.

verb (used with object)

, trod, trod·den or trod, tread·ing.

1. to step or walk on, about, in, or along.
2. to trample or crush underfoot.
3. to form by the action of walking or trampling:

   to tread a path.

4. to treat with disdainful harshness or cruelty; crush; oppress.
5. to perform by walking or dancing:

   to tread a measure.

6. (of a male bird) to copulate with (a female bird).

noun

1. the action of treading, stepping, or walking.
2. the sound of footsteps.
3. manner of treading or walking.
4. a single step as in walking.
5. any of various things or parts on which a person or thing treads, stands, or moves.
6. the part of the under surface of the foot or of a shoe that touches the ground.
7. the horizontal upper surface of a step in a stair, on which the foot is placed.
8. the part of a wheel, tire, or runner that bears on the road, rail, etc.
9. the pattern raised on or cut into the face of a rubber tire.
10. Also caterpillar tread. a metal tread on which a Caterpillar-style vehicle moves.
11. Railroads. that part of a rail in contact with the treads of wheels.

tread

/ trɛd /

verb

1. to walk or trample in, on, over, or across (something)
2. whenintr, foll by on to crush or squash by or as if by treading

   to tread on a spider

   to tread grapes

3. intrsometimes foll byon to subdue or repress, as by doing injury (to)

   to tread on one's inferiors

4. tr to do by walking or dancing

   to tread a measure

5. tr (of a male bird) to copulate with (a female bird)
6. tread lightly
   tread lightly to proceed with delicacy or tact
7. tread on someone's toes
   tread on someone's toes to offend or insult someone, esp by infringing on his sphere of action, etc
8. tread water
   tread water to stay afloat in an upright position by moving the legs in a walking motion

noun

1. a manner or style of walking, dancing, etc

   a light tread

2. the act of treading
3. the top surface of a step in a staircase
4. the outer part of a tyre or wheel that makes contact with the road, esp the grooved surface of a pneumatic tyre
5. the part of a rail that wheels touch
6. the part of a shoe that is generally in contact with the ground
7. vet science an injury to a horse's foot caused by the opposite foot, or the foot of another horse
8. See footprint
   a rare word for footprint

Derived Forms

• ˈtreader, noun

Other Words From

• tread·er noun
• o·ver·tread noun
• sub·tread noun

Word History and Origins

Origin of tread¹

before 900; (v.) Middle English treden, Old English tredan; cognate with Old Frisian treda, Old Saxon tredan, Dutch treden, German treten; akin to Old Norse trotha, Gothic trudan; (noun) Middle English tred footprint, derivative of the v.

Word History and Origins

Origin of tread¹

Old English tredan ; related to Old Norse trotha , Old High German tretan , Swedish träda

Idioms and Phrases

Idioms

1. tread on someone's toes / corns, to offend or irritate someone.
2. tread the boards, to act on the stage, especially professionally:

   He recalled the days when he had trod the boards.

3. tread water,
   1. Swimming. to maintain the body erect in the water with the head above the surface usually by a pumping up-and-down movement of the legs and sometimes the arms.
   2. Slang. to make efforts that maintain but do not further one's status, progress, or performance:

      He's just treading water here until he can find another job.

4. tread lightly / carefully / softly. tread lightly.

More idioms and phrases containing tread

• fools rush in where angels fear to tread
• step (tread) on one's toes

Example Sentences

Every bottle of water, every shell, every replacement tank tread had to be shipped from continental Europe across the Mediterranean to North Africa.

From Time

Tires must be inflated properly, and a good tread depth will help with traction on wet roads.

From Washington Post

Bergeson says that Toyo uses different compound materials for the two categories of tires, as well as different tread designs.

From Outside Online

The pattern of that tread will also be designed to grip loose surfaces, while evacuating water, mud, small rocks, and snow as efficiently as possible.

From Outside Online

To merit this stamp, a two-dimensional analysis of a tire’s tread pattern must demonstrate that at least 25 percent of the tread’s surface area is made up of grooves.

From Outside Online

We feel their strangeness when we read their words—they lived on a plane where few dare to tread.

From The Daily Beast

It really set the tone for the second half of Season 5, ending with that great “tread lightly” encounter between Hank and Walt.

From The Daily Beast

The interim, however, is ours, and here we must tread carefully.

From The Daily Beast

The moral philosopher Michael Sandel observed, “Fundamentalists rush in where liberals fear to tread.”

From The Daily Beast

She says that Italy must tread carefully not to allow this to happen.

From The Daily Beast

Their heads might have been turned upside-down, so absolutely did they tread upon blue ether.

From Project Gutenberg

You know MacRae, Lyn; it's mighty poor business for any man to tread on his toes, much less go walking rough-shod all over him.

From Project Gutenberg

At last, some one came, a man, and his firm tread of boot-shod feet betokened a soldier.

From Project Gutenberg

He shall not tread out wine in the press that was wont to tread it out: the voice of the treaders I have taken away.

From Project Gutenberg

The lowing of cattle and the soft stumbling tread of many unshod feet told him that some one was approaching.

From Project Gutenberg