Definitions

from The American Heritage® Dictionary of the English Language, 5th Edition.

  • noun The single complete movement of raising one foot and putting it down in another spot, as in walking.
  • noun A manner of walking; a particular gait.
  • noun A fixed rhythm or pace, as in marching.
  • noun The sound of a footstep.
  • noun A footprint.
  • noun The distance traversed by moving one foot ahead of the other.
  • noun A very short distance.
  • noun Course; path.
  • noun One of a series of rhythmical, patterned movements of the feet used in a dance.
  • noun A rest for the foot in ascending or descending.
  • noun Stairs.
  • noun Something, such as a ledge or an offset, that resembles a step of a stairway.
  • noun A low platform used for exercise, as in step aerobics.
  • noun One of a series of actions, processes, or measures taken to achieve a goal.
  • noun A stage in a process.
  • noun A degree in progress or a grade or rank in a scale.
  • noun The interval that separates two successive tones of a scale.
  • noun A degree of a scale.
  • noun Nautical The block in which the heel of a mast is fixed.
  • intransitive verb To put or press the foot.
  • intransitive verb To shift or move slightly by taking a step or two.
  • intransitive verb To walk a short distance to a specified place or in a specified direction.
  • intransitive verb To move with the feet in a particular manner.
  • intransitive verb To move into a new situation by or as if by taking a single step.
  • intransitive verb To treat someone with arrogant indifference.
  • intransitive verb To put or set (the foot) down.
  • intransitive verb To measure by pacing.
  • intransitive verb To furnish with steps; make steps in.
  • intransitive verb Computers To cause (a computer) to execute a single instruction.
  • intransitive verb Nautical To place (a mast) in its step.
  • idiom (in step) Moving in rhythm.
  • idiom (in step) In conformity with one's environment.
  • idiom (out of step) Not moving in rhythm.

Etymologies

from The American Heritage® Dictionary of the English Language, 4th Edition

[Middle English, from Old English stæpe, stepe.]

from Wiktionary, Creative Commons Attribution/Share-Alike License

From Middle English steppen, from Old English steppan ("to step, go, proceed, advance"), from Proto-Germanic *stapjanan (“to step”), from Proto-Indo-European *stÁb-, *stÁbʰ-, *stemb-, *stembʰ- (“to support, stomp, curse, be amazed”). Cognate with West Frisian stappe ("to step"), North Frisian stape ("to walk, trudge"), Dutch stappen ("to step, walk"), German stapfen ("to trudge, stomp, plod"). Related to stamp, stomp.

from Wiktionary, Creative Commons Attribution/Share-Alike License

Old English stepe

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Examples

  • In Europe, generations and centuries prepared the way for this novelty; medieval philosophy and theocratic organization had been transformed step by step….

    A Special Supplement: The Other Dostoevsky Rahv, Philip 1972

  • _Following meant keeping in step with God, never missing step_.

    Quiet Talks on Following the Christ 1897

  • Alice knew his step, she knew _his horse's step_ too well; she had raised herself up, and stretched out both arms towards him before he entered.

    The Wide, Wide World Susan Warner 1852

  • Alice knew his step, she knew _his horse's step_ too well; she had raised herself up and stretched out both arms towards him before he entered.

    The Wide, Wide World Susan Warner 1852

  • I was very impressed with your \ "step by step\" approach.

    Recently Uploaded Slideshows 2009

  • Slide 13: •Skin butt seam joint ripple C •step 1 mm of the Access cover and skin seam joint • and higher skin is allow to chamfer 1: 3, paint H06-2 step 1. 5 mm of the Engine Access doors, equipment access doors before frame 9 and skin seam joint

    Recently Uploaded Slideshows 2008

  • Slide 13: •Skin butt seam joint ripple C •step 1 mm of the Access cover and skin seam joint • and higher skin is allow to chamfer 1: 3, paint H06-2 step 1. 5 mm of the Engine Access doors, equipment access doors before frame 9 and skin seam joint

    Recently Uploaded Slideshows 2008

  • \ "step by step\" system that would outline the blueprint you needed to achieve success on the Internet would you do it?

    Recently Uploaded Slideshows 2009

  • "And then her voice began _to drop down_, as it were, _from step to step_, -- and _the steps seemed cold and damp, as it went down them lingeringly_: -- 'or for trial, -- disappointment, -- whatever comes!'

    The Atlantic Monthly, Volume 2, No. 14, December 1858 Various

  • $_SERVER [ 'HTTP_HOST']. dirname ($_SERVER [ 'PHP_SELF'])); if (isset ($_GET [ 'step'])) $step =

    Codex - Recent changes [en] 2010

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