step

About 86.08 uses per million words.

Meaning

1. noun An advance or movement made from one foot to the other; a pace.
2. noun A rest, or one of a set of rests, for the foot in ascending or descending, as a stair, or a rung of a ladder.
3. noun The part of a spade, digging stick or similar tool that a digger's foot rests against and presses on when digging; an ear, a foot-rest.
4. noun The button joining a glass's stem to its foot.
5. noun A distinct part of a process; stage; phase.

   He improved step by step, or by steps.

6. noun A running board where passengers step to get on and off the bus.

   The driver must have a clear view of the step in order to prevent accidents.

7. noun The space passed over by one movement of the foot in walking or running.

   One step is generally about three feet, but may be more or less.

8. noun A small space or distance.

   It is but a step.

Similar words

pace stride tread footfall footstep footprint footmark stair gradation measure

Often followed by

in is of to by toward was

Word family

steplike stepped stepping steps