STEP (stepped, stepping)

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 Dictionary entry overview: What does step mean? 

• STEP (noun)
  The noun STEP has 11 senses:

1. any maneuver made as part of progress toward a goal

2. the distance covered by a step

3. the act of changing location by raising the foot and setting it down

4. support consisting of a place to rest the foot while ascending or descending a stairway

5. relative position in a graded series

6. a short distance

7. the sound of a step of someone walking

8. a musical interval of two semitones

9. a mark of a foot or shoe on a surface

10. a solid block joined to the beams in which the heel of a ship's mast or capstan is fixed

11. a sequence of foot movements that make up a particular dance

  Familiarity information: STEP used as a noun is familiar.

• STEP (verb)
  The verb STEP has 10 senses:

1. shift or move by taking a step

2. put down or press the foot, place the foot

3. cause (a computer) to execute a single command

4. treat badly

5. furnish with steps

6. move with one's feet in a specific manner

7. walk a short distance to a specified place or in a specified manner

8. place (a ship's mast) in its step

9. measure (distances) by pacing

10. move or proceed as if by steps into a new situation

  Familiarity information: STEP used as a verb is familiar.

 Dictionary entry details 

• STEP (noun)

Sense 1

Meaning:

Any maneuver made as part of progress toward a goal

Classified under:

Nouns denoting acts or actions

Synonyms:

measure; step

Context example:

the police took steps to reduce crime

Hypernyms ("step" is a kind of...):

maneuver; manoeuvre; tactical maneuver; tactical manoeuvre (a move made to gain a tactical end)

Hyponyms (each of the following is a kind of "step"):

porcupine provision; shark repellent (a measure undertaken by a corporation to discourage unwanted takeover attempts)

guard; precaution; safeguard (a precautionary measure warding off impending danger or damage or injury etc.)

countermeasure (an action taken to offset another action)

Sense 2

Meaning:

The distance covered by a step

Classified under:

Nouns denoting quantities and units of measure

Synonyms:

footstep; pace; step; stride

Context example:

he stepped off ten paces from the old tree and began to dig

Hypernyms ("step" is a kind of...):

indefinite quantity (an estimated quantity)

Derivation:

step (measure (distances) by pacing)

step (shift or move by taking a step)

step (put down or press the foot, place the foot)

step (walk a short distance to a specified place or in a specified manner)

Sense 3

Meaning:

The act of changing location by raising the foot and setting it down

Classified under:

Nouns denoting acts or actions

Context example:

he walked with unsteady steps

Hypernyms ("step" is a kind of...):

locomotion; travel (self-propelled movement)

Hyponyms (each of the following is a kind of "step"):

pace; stride; tread (a step in walking or running)

pas ((ballet) a step in dancing (especially in classical ballet))

trip (a light or nimble tread)

sidestep (a step to one side (as in boxing or dancing))

footstep (the act of taking a step in walking)

Derivation:

step (shift or move by taking a step)

step (put down or press the foot, place the foot)

step (walk a short distance to a specified place or in a specified manner)

step (move with one's feet in a specific manner)

step (measure (distances) by pacing)

Sense 4

Meaning:

Support consisting of a place to rest the foot while ascending or descending a stairway

Classified under:

Nouns denoting man-made objects

Synonyms:

stair; step

Context example:

he paused on the bottom step

Hypernyms ("step" is a kind of...):

support (any device that bears the weight of another thing)

Meronyms (parts of "step"):

riser (structural member consisting of the vertical part of a stair or step)

tread (structural member consisting of the horizontal part of a stair or step)

Hyponyms (each of the following is a kind of "step"):

corbel step; corbie-step; corbiestep; crow step ((architecture) a step on the top of a gable wall)

Holonyms ("step" is a part of...):

staircase; stairway (a way of access (upward and downward) consisting of a set of steps)

Derivation:

step (furnish with steps)

Sense 5

Meaning:

Relative position in a graded series

Classified under:

Nouns denoting stable states of affairs

Synonyms:

gradation; step

Context example:

keep in step with the fashions

Hypernyms ("step" is a kind of...):

rank (relative status)

Hyponyms (each of the following is a kind of "step"):

cut (a step on some scale)

Sense 6

Meaning:

A short distance

Classified under:

Nouns denoting quantities and units of measure

Synonyms:

step; stone's throw

Context example:

it's only a step to the drugstore

Hypernyms ("step" is a kind of...):

small indefinite amount; small indefinite quantity (an indefinite quantity that is below average size or magnitude)

Derivation:

step (measure (distances) by pacing)

Sense 7

Meaning:

The sound of a step of someone walking

Classified under:

Nouns denoting natural events

Synonyms:

footfall; footstep; step

Context example:

he heard footsteps on the porch

Hypernyms ("step" is a kind of...):

sound (the sudden occurrence of an audible event)

Hyponyms (each of the following is a kind of "step"):

tramp (a heavy footfall)

Derivation:

step (shift or move by taking a step)

step (move with one's feet in a specific manner)

Sense 8

Meaning:

A musical interval of two semitones

Classified under:

Nouns denoting communicative processes and contents

Synonyms:

step; tone; whole step; whole tone

Hypernyms ("step" is a kind of...):

interval; musical interval (the difference in pitch between two notes)

Sense 9

Meaning:

A mark of a foot or shoe on a surface

Classified under:

Nouns denoting communicative processes and contents

Synonyms:

footmark; footprint; step

Context example:

the police made casts of the footprints in the soft earth outside the window

Hypernyms ("step" is a kind of...):

mark; print (a visible indication made on a surface)

Hyponyms (each of the following is a kind of "step"):

footprint evidence (evidence in the form of footprints)

Derivation:

step (put down or press the foot, place the foot)

Sense 10

Meaning:

A solid block joined to the beams in which the heel of a ship's mast or capstan is fixed

Classified under:

Nouns denoting man-made objects

Hypernyms ("step" is a kind of...):

block (a solid piece of something (usually having flat rectangular sides))

Derivation:

step (place (a ship's mast) in its step)

Sense 11

Meaning:

A sequence of foot movements that make up a particular dance

Classified under:

Nouns denoting acts or actions

Synonyms:

dance step; step

Context example:

he taught them the waltz step

Hypernyms ("step" is a kind of...):

locomotion; travel (self-propelled movement)

Hyponyms (each of the following is a kind of "step"):

chasse; sashay ((ballet) quick gliding steps with one foot always leading)

glissade ((ballet) a gliding or sliding step in ballet)

moonwalk (a kind of dance step in which the dancer seems to be sliding on the spot)

Holonyms ("step" is a part of...):

hoofing; step dancing (dancing in which the steps are more important than gestures or postures)

• STEP (verb)

Conjugation:

Sense 1

Meaning:

Shift or move by taking a step

Classified under:

Verbs of walking, flying, swimming

Context example:

step back

Hypernyms (to "step" is one way to...):

go; locomote; move; travel (change location; move, travel, or proceed, also metaphorically)

Troponyms (each of the following is one way to "step"):

backpedal (step backwards, in boxing)

Sentence frames:

Somebody ----s
Somebody ----s PP

Also:

step out (go outside a room or building for a short period of time)

Derivation:

step (the act of changing location by raising the foot and setting it down)

step (the sound of a step of someone walking)

step (the distance covered by a step)

Sense 2

Meaning:

Put down or press the foot, place the foot

Classified under:

Verbs of walking, flying, swimming

Synonyms:

step; tread

Context example:

step on the brake

Hypernyms (to "step" is one way to...):

go; locomote; move; travel (change location; move, travel, or proceed, also metaphorically)

Troponyms (each of the following is one way to "step"):

step on; tread on (place or press the foot on)

Sentence frames:

Somebody ----s
Somebody ----s PP

Derivation:

step (the act of changing location by raising the foot and setting it down)

step (a mark of a foot or shoe on a surface)

step (the distance covered by a step)

Sense 3

Meaning:

Cause (a computer) to execute a single command

Classified under:

Verbs of political and social activities and events

Hypernyms (to "step" is one way to...):

execute; run (carry out a process or program, as on a computer or a machine)

Sentence frame:

Somebody ----s something

Sense 4

Meaning:

Treat badly

Classified under:

Verbs of political and social activities and events

Synonyms:

abuse; ill-treat; ill-use; maltreat; mistreat; step

Context example:

She is always stepping on others to get ahead

Hypernyms (to "step" is one way to...):

do by; handle; treat (interact in a certain way)

Troponyms (each of the following is one way to "step"):

kick around (treat badly; abuse)

Sentence frames:

Somebody ----s something
Somebody ----s somebody
Somebody ----s something PP

Sense 5

Meaning:

Furnish with steps

Classified under:

Verbs of buying, selling, owning

Context example:

The architect wants to step the terrace

Hypernyms (to "step" is one way to...):

furnish; provide; render; supply (give something useful or necessary to)

Domain category:

architecture (the profession of designing buildings and environments with consideration for their esthetic effect)

Sentence frame:

Somebody ----s something

Derivation:

step (support consisting of a place to rest the foot while ascending or descending a stairway)

Sense 6

Meaning:

Move with one's feet in a specific manner

Classified under:

Verbs of walking, flying, swimming

Context example:

step lively

Hypernyms (to "step" is one way to...):

go; locomote; move; travel (change location; move, travel, or proceed, also metaphorically)

Sentence frame:

Somebody ----s Adjective

Derivation:

step (the act of changing location by raising the foot and setting it down)

step (the sound of a step of someone walking)

Sense 7

Meaning:

Walk a short distance to a specified place or in a specified manner

Classified under:

Verbs of walking, flying, swimming

Context example:

step over to the blackboard

Hypernyms (to "step" is one way to...):

walk (use one's feet to advance; advance by steps)

Sentence frame:

Somebody ----s PP

Derivation:

step (the act of changing location by raising the foot and setting it down)

step (the distance covered by a step)

Sense 8

Meaning:

Place (a ship's mast) in its step

Classified under:

Verbs of touching, hitting, tying, digging

Hypernyms (to "step" is one way to...):

lay; place; pose; position; put; set (put into a certain place or abstract location)

Sentence frame:

Somebody ----s something

Derivation:

step (a solid block joined to the beams in which the heel of a ship's mast or capstan is fixed)

Sense 9

Meaning:

Measure (distances) by pacing

Classified under:

Verbs of size, temperature change, intensifying, etc.

Synonyms:

pace; step

Context example:

step off ten yards

Hypernyms (to "step" is one way to...):

measure; quantify (express as a number or measure or quantity)

Sentence frame:

Somebody ----s something

Derivation:

step (the act of changing location by raising the foot and setting it down)

step (a short distance)

step (the distance covered by a step)

Sense 10

Meaning:

Move or proceed as if by steps into a new situation

Classified under:

Verbs of size, temperature change, intensifying, etc.

Context example:

he won't step into his father's footsteps

Hypernyms (to "step" is one way to...):

move (go or proceed from one point to another)

Sentence frame:

Somebody ----s something PP

 Context examples 

From the protection of his god's body to the protection of his god's possessions was a step, and this step he made.

(White Fang, by Jack London)

What my next step may be will depend entirely upon the nature of your own defence.

(His Last Bow, by Sir Arthur Conan Doyle)

Then the door opened and the man stepped in.

(The Return of Sherlock Holmes, by Sir Arthur Conan Doyle)

Then, as Mr. Micawber very properly said, the first step to be taken clearly was, to come and see the Medway.

(David Copperfield, by Charles Dickens)

You must have my consent to that first, said Heinel, so please to step in here, and let us talk it over.

(Fairy Tales, by The Brothers Grimm)

Steps came running along the outer passage; the key turned, Bessie and Abbot entered.

(Jane Eyre, by Charlotte Brontë)

Maud Brewster had stepped inside the companion-way so that only her head was exposed.

(The Sea-Wolf, by Jack London)

On tiptoe she entered; the room was before her; but it was some minutes before she could advance another step.

(Northanger Abbey, by Jane Austen)

Elevated intracellular Ca causes adaptation by at least two different molecular steps: inhibition of the activity of adenylyl cyclase via CAMKII-dependent phosphorylation and down-regulation of the affinity of the CNG channel to cAMP.

(Olfactory Transduction Pathway, NCI Thesaurus/KEGG)

The snows descended on my head, and I saw the print of his huge step on the white plain.

(Frankenstein, by Mary Wollstonecraft Shelley)