step

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“
There was but a step--and evidently the step was a short one--between her and the grave.

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Definitions (125)

Toggle American Heritage definitions American Heritage Dictionary (47)

  1. noun The single complete movement of raising one foot and putting it down in another spot, as in walking.
  2. noun A manner of walking; a particular gait.
  3. noun A fixed rhythm or pace, as in marching: keep step.
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Toggle Century definitions Century Dictionary (54)

Toggle GNU Webster definitions GNU Webster's 1913 (3)

Toggle WordNet definitions WordNet (21)

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Examples (50)

  • I know it's all done by machine, which I suppose there's some sort of glitch in the process that allows a roll to escape decoration every so often, even though every other step is accomplished. —  don't eat alone
  • This step is a further phase in the British withdrawal from Iraq; the UK once had 40,000 troops in the country, and is now down to about 4,000. —  Informed Comment
  • It's a shame, as this step is the least costly and most effective way to prevent foot wounds and potential amputations. —  The Diabetes Blog
  • Ultimately though, what made me take the step was the yearning to have something I'd like to read. —  Bibliophile Stalker
  • Config. groovy file - this step was a bit confusing to me at first, so let me explain. —  The Disco Blog
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Related

Roget's II Roget's II: The New Thesaurus

Allen's Allen's Synonyms and Antonyms

Used in the same context Used in the Same Context

movement ·  foot ·  figure ·  way ·  line ·  door ·  move ·  light ·  path

Used in the same contextWord Family

step:   stepped ·  stepping ·  steps
Roget's II: The New Thesaurus, Third Edition by the Editors of the American Heritage® Dictionary. Copyright © 2003, 1995 by Houghton Mifflin Harcourt Publishing Company. Published by Houghton Mifflin Harcourt Publishing Company. All rights reserved.

Etymologies (3)

Toggle American Heritage etymologies American Heritage Dictionary (1)

  1. Middle English, from Old English stæpe, stepe.

Toggle Century etymologies Century Dictionary (2)

  1. from (a) Middle English steppen, stappen, from Anglo-Saxon steppan, stæppan = OFries. steppa = Middle Dutch steppen, stippen, stappen, Dutch stappen = Middle Low German stappen = Old High German stephan, stephen, steffen, stepfen, Middle High German stepfen, also Old High German staphōn, Middle High German staphen, staffen, stapfen, go, step; secondary forms (in part from the noun) of (b) Middle English stapen, from Anglo-Saxon *stapan (not found in the infinitive, for which appears the form steppan or stæppan, above, which has the same preterit stōp, past participle stapen) = Old Saxon stapan = OFries. stapa = Middle Low German stapen, go, advance; Teutonic √ stap, appearing nasalized in stamp, q. v.; cf. Russian stopa, footstep, sole of the foot; Sanskrit √ stambh, prop, make firm; ult. from √ sta, stand: see stand.
  2. from Middle English steppe, from Anglo-Saxon stæpe, a step, footstep, = MD, stappe, steppe, stap, step, Dutch stap = Old High German stapfo, staffo, Middle High German G. stapfe (later Italian staffa, a stirrup, later ult. English staffier), a footstep, footprint; from the verb.
 

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/stɛp/
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