1. Shift or move by taking a step
   "step back"
    
2. Put down or press the foot, place the foot
   "step on the brake";
   - tread
    
3. Move with one's feet in a specific manner
   "step lively"
    
4. Walk a short distance to a specified place or in a specified manner
   "step over to the blackboard"
    
5. 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"
    
6. Measure (distances) by pacing
   "step off ten yards";
   - pace
    
7. Cause (a computer) to execute a single command
   "The programmer stepped through the code to identify the bug"
    
8. (architecture) furnish with steps
   "The architect wants to step the terrace"
    
9. Place (a ship's mast) in its step
   "The crew stepped the mast into position"

1. The act of changing location by raising the foot and setting it down
   "he walked with unsteady steps"
    
2. The distance covered by a step
   "he stepped off ten steps from the old tree and began to dig";
   - footstep, pace, stride
    
3. A course of action made as part of progress toward a goal
   "the police took steps to reduce crime";
   - measure
    
4. A short distance
   "it's only a step to the pharmacy";
   - stone's throw
    
5. The sound of a step of someone walking
   "he heard steps on the porch";
   - footfall, footstep
    
6. A mark of a foot or shoe on a surface
   "Fresh steps in the snow led to the cabin";
   - footprint, footmark, footstep
    
7. A sequence of foot movements that make up a particular dance
   "he taught them the waltz step";
   - dance step
    
8. Relative position in a graded series
   "always a step behind"; "keep in step with the fashions";
   - gradation
    
9. Support consisting of a place to rest the foot while ascending or descending a stairway
   "he paused on the bottom step";
   - stair
    
10. A musical interval of two semitones
    "The distance between C and D is a whole step";
    - tone, whole tone, whole step
     
11. A solid block joined to the beams in which the heel of a ship's mast or capstan is fixed
    "The shipwright inspected the step to ensure the mast was securely seated"

Sounds like: steely, step

Derived forms: stepped, steps, stepping

See also: step out

Type of: block, execute, furnish, go, indefinite quantity, interval, lay, locomote, locomotion, maneuver [US], manoeuvre [Brit, Cdn], mark, measure, move, musical interval, offer, place, pose, position, print, provide, put, quantify, quantitate, rank, render, run, set, small indefinite amount, small indefinite quantity, sound, supply, support, tactical maneuver [US], tactical manoeuvre [Brit, Cdn], travel, walk

Part of: hoofing, staircase, stairway, step dancing

Encyclopedia: Step