step

¹

[ step ]

noun

1. 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.
2. such a movement followed by a movement of equal distance of the other foot:

   The soldier took one step forward and stood at attention.

3. the space passed over or the distance measured by one such movement of the foot.
4. the sound made by the foot in making such a movement.
5. a mark or impression made by the foot on the ground; footprint.
6. the manner of walking; gait; stride.
7. pace in marching:

   double-quick step.

8. a pace uniform with that of another or others, or in time with music.
9. steps, movements or course in walking or running:

   to retrace one's steps.

10. 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.

11. rank, degree, or grade, as on a vertical scale.
12. a support for the foot in ascending or descending:

    a step of a ladder; a stair of 14 steps.

13. a very short distance:

    She was never more than a step away from her children.

14. a repeated pattern or unit of movement in a dance formed by a combination of foot and body motions.
15. step aerobics.
16. Music.
    1. a degree of the staff or of the scale.
    2. the interval between two adjacent scale degrees; second. Compare semitone, whole step.
17. steps, British. a stepladder.
18. an offset part of anything.
19. Nautical. a socket, frame, or platform for supporting the lower end of a mast.
20. Mining. a flat-topped ledge on the face of a quarry or a mine working.

verb (used without object)

, stepped, step·ping.

1. 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.

2. to walk, or go on foot, especially for a few strides or a short distance:

   Step over to the bar.

3. to move with measured steps, as in a dance.
4. to go briskly or fast, as a horse.
5. 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.

6. to put the foot down; tread by intention or accident:

   to step on a cat's tail.

7. 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.

1. to take (a step, pace, stride, etc.).
2. to go through or perform the steps of (a dance).
3. to move or set (the foot) in taking a step.
4. to measure (a distance, ground, etc.) by steps (sometimes followed by off or out ).
5. to make or arrange in the manner of a series of steps.
6. Nautical. to fix (a mast) in its step.

verb phrase

1. to become involved; intervene, as in a quarrel or fight:

   The brawl was well under way by the time the police stepped in.

2. 1. to leave a place, especially for a brief period of time.
   2. to walk or march at a more rapid pace.
   3. to go out to a social gathering or on a date:

      We're stepping out tonight.

3. 1. to raise or increase by degrees:

      to step up production.

   2. to be promoted; advance.
   3. to make progress; improve.
4. 1. to lower or decrease by degrees.
   2. 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-

²

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

   stepbrother.

step-

¹

combining_form

1. indicating relationship through the previous marriage of a spouse or parent rather than by blood

   stepfather

   stepson

step

²

/ stɛp /

noun

1. 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
2. the distance or space covered by such a motion
3. the sound made by such a movement
4. the impression made by such movement of the foot; footprint
5. the manner of walking or moving the feet; gait

   he received his prize with a proud step

6. a sequence of foot movements that make up a particular dance or part of a dance

   I have mastered the steps of the waltz

7. any of several paces or rhythmic movements in marching, dancing, etc

   the goose step

8. plural a course followed by a person in walking or as walking

   they followed in their leader's steps

9. one of a sequence of separate consecutive stages in the progression towards some goal

   another step towards socialism

10. a rank or grade in a series or scale

    he was always a step behind

11. an object or device that offers support for the foot when ascending or descending
12. plural a flight of stairs, esp out of doors
13. plural another name for stepladder
14. a very short easily walked distance

    it is only a step to my place

15. music a melodic interval of a second See whole tone half-step
16. an offset or change in the level of a surface similar to the step of a stair
17. a strong block or frame bolted onto the keel of a vessel and fitted to receive the base of a mast
18. a ledge cut in mining or quarrying excavations
19. break step
    to cease to march in step
20. in step
    1. marching, dancing, etc, in conformity with a specified pace or moving in unison with others
    2. in agreement or harmony
21. keep step
    to remain walking, marching, dancing, etc, in unison or in a specified rhythm
22. out of step
    1. not moving in conformity with a specified pace or in accordance with others
    2. not in agreement; out of harmony
23. step by step
    with care and deliberation; gradually
24. take steps
    to undertake measures (to do something) with a view to the attainment of some end
25. watch one's step
    1. to conduct oneself with caution and good behaviour
    2. to walk or move carefully

verb

1. 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
2. intr; often foll by in, out, etc to move or go on foot, esp for a short distance

   step this way, ladies

3. informal.
   intr to move, often in an attractive graceful manner, as in dancing

   he can really step around

4. intr; usually foll by on or upon to place or press the foot; tread

   to step on the accelerator

5. intrusually foll byinto to enter (into a situation) apparently with ease

   she stepped into a life of luxury

6. tr to walk or take (a number of paces, etc)

   to step ten paces

7. tr to perform the steps of

   they step the tango well

8. tr to set or place (the foot)
9. tr; usually foll by off or out to measure (some distance of ground) by stepping
10. tr to arrange in or supply with a series of steps so as to avoid coincidence or symmetry
11. tr to raise (a mast) and fit it into its step

STEP

³

/ stɛp /

acronym for

1. Special Temporary Employment Programme

Step

⁴

/ stɛp /

noun

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

      Step aerobics

Derived Forms

• ˈstepˌlike, adjective

Other Words From

• stepless adjective
• steplike adjective
• counter·step noun verb counterstepped counterstepping
• outstep verb (used with object) outstepped outstepping
• under·step noun

Word History and Origins

Origin of step¹

First recorded before 900; (for the verb) Middle English steppen, Old English steppan; cognate with Old High German stepfen; akin to stamp; (for the noun) Middle English; Old English stepe

Origin of step²

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)

Word History and Origins

Origin of step¹

Old English stēop-; compare āstӯpan to bereave

Origin of step²

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

Idioms and Phrases

Idioms

1. 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.

2. in step,
   1. moving in time to a rhythm or with the corresponding step of others.
   2. in harmony or conformity with:

      They are not in step with the times.

3. keep step, to keep pace; stay in step:

   The construction of classrooms and the training of teachers have not kept step with population growth.

4. out of step,
   1. not in time to a rhythm or corresponding to the step of others.
   2. not in harmony or conformity with:

      They are out of step with the others in their group.

5. step by step,
   1. from one stage to the next in sequence.
   2. gradually and steadily:

      We were shown the steelmaking process step by step.

6. 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.

7. take steps, to set about putting something into operation; begin to act:

   I will take steps to see that your application is processed.

8. watch one's step, to proceed with caution; behave prudently:

   If she doesn't watch her step, she will be fired from her job.

More idioms and phrases containing step

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

Example Sentences

"I was dizzy with loneliness. I saw how easy it would be to step over the edge and simply disappear. For a few crazy minutes I couldn't imagine any other option. I did this five or six times," she said.

From Salon

A lot of the markers of show business are not friendly to me, like a Step and Repeat is my absolute worst nightmare.”

From Los Angeles Times

Although Trump has so far said nothing, his pick for National Security Adviser, Mike Waltz, spoke of “another step up the escalation ladder and nobody knows where this is going”.

From BBC

“Europe needs to step up,” she said, “and ultimately we know that the Scandinavians, Baltic states and Poland are not enough.”

From BBC

“These papers are a really a great step forward,” says Will Dichtel, a chemist at Northwestern University.

From Science Magazine

Related Words

• act
• advance
• means
• phase
• point
• procedure
• process
• stage
• start

Words That Use step-

What does step- mean?

Step– is a prefix denoting family members by remarriage rather than blood. It is occasionally used in kinship terms.

Step– comes from Old English stēop-, of the same meaning above, and is not related to the verb step, with the sense “to go by lifting the foot.” In Old English, stéopbearn means “orphan” and is connected to the verb āstēpan, meaning “to bereave.” Essentially, in Old English, a stepfather is one who has become a father to an orphan.

Examples of step-

An example of a term that features the prefix step– is stepbrother, “one’s stepfather’s son or stepmother’s son by a previous marriage.” Stepbrother comes from the Middle English word that uses the equivalent of step– in that language.

The form step– denotes a relationship by remarriage. The element –brother, from Old English brōthor, means “brother,” as in “a male sibling.” Stepbrother literally means “brother from remarriage.”

What are some words that use the equivalent of the combining form step– in Middle or Old English?

• stepchild
• stepfather
• stepmother
• stepsister

What are some other forms that step– may be commonly confused with?

• stego-
• stetho-

Not every word that begins with the exact letters step-, such as e.g., steptoe or stepper, is necessarily using the prefix step– to denote “family member by remarriage.” Learn why steptoe means “an isolated hill surrounded by lava” at our entry for the word.

Break it down!

Given the meaning of the prefix step-, what does stepparent mean?