step
- 01 A2 Elementary
n.the movement you make by lifting your foot and putting it down in a new place when walking.
n.a single complete movement of the foot in walking or running, involving a change in position.
Simple“He took a step forward to get a better look at the painting.”
In context“With every step she took across the gravel path, the crunching sound echoed through the silent garden.”
- 02 A2 Elementary
n.a flat surface that you walk on to go up or down to a different level.
n.a flat surface, especially one in a series, for the foot in ascending or descending.
Simple“Be careful on the bottom step because the wood is a bit loose.”
In context“The grand marble staircase consisted of thirty wide steps, each polished to a mirror-like finish that made the climb feel precarious.”
- 03 B1 Intermediate
n.one action in a series of actions that you take to achieve something.
n.a distinct stage or phase in a multi-part process or sequence of actions.
Simple“The first step in making a cake is to preheat the oven.”
In context“Securing a reliable supplier is a critical step toward ensuring the long-term viability of the manufacturing project.”
- 04 B2 Upper Intermediate
n.the distance in pitch between two notes that are next to each other.
n.the interval between two contiguous degrees of a musical scale.
Simple“In a major scale, the distance between the first and second notes is a whole step.”
In context“The melody moves primarily by step, avoiding large leaps to maintain a smooth and lyrical vocal quality.”
- 05 B2 Upper Intermediate
n.a short way to say stepchild or stepsibling.
n.a colloquial clipping for a relative related by a parent's remarriage rather than blood.
Simple“She gets along really well with her step and they go hiking every weekend.”
In context“While the legal documents specified 'stepchildren', the family simply referred to them as the 'steps' in casual conversation.”
Synonymsstepchildstepsibling - 06 A2 Elementary
v.to lift your foot and put it down in a different place.
v.to move by lifting the foot and setting it down again in a new position; often used with directional particles.
Simple“Please step aside so the people behind you can see the screen.”
In context“He stepped cautiously onto the frozen lake, testing the thickness of the ice with his weight before proceeding further.”
- 07 C1 Advanced
v.to challenge someone or act like you want to fight.
v.to behave in a confrontational or aggressive manner toward someone.
Simple“He was acting tough and trying to step to me in front of his friends.”
In context“The rival gang member tried to step to the leader, but the tension was defused before a physical altercation occurred.”
Usage step back · step forward · step away
From Middle English steppen, from Old English steppan (“to step, go, proceed, advance”), stepe (“step”), from Proto-West Germanic stappjan, from Proto-Germanic stapjaną (“to step”), stapiz (“step”), from Proto-Indo-European stebʰ- (“to support, stomp, curse, be amazed”). Cognate with West Frisian stappe (“to step”), North Frisian stape (“to walk, trudge”), Dutch stappen (“to step, walk”), Walloon steper (“to walk away, leave”), German stapfen (“to trudge, stomp, plod”) and further to Slavic Polish stąpać (“to stomp, stamp, step, tread”), Russian ступать (stupatʹ) and Polish stopień (“step, stair, rung, degree”), Russian степень (stepenʹ). Related to stamp, stomp.
Clipping of stepchild and stepsibling.
Etymology adapted from Wiktionary, available under CC BY-SA 4.0.