step */*/*/

I UK [step] / US noun
Word forms "step":
singular step plural steps

1) [countable] a short movement made by putting one foot in front of the other

take/move a step:

I am too tired to take another step.

He moved a step nearer the two men.

retrace your steps (= go back the same way you came):

We were lost and decided to retrace our steps.

a) the sound that your feet make while you are walking

I could hear the steps coming closer.

b) the short distance that your feet move while you are walking

The postbox is just a few steps from my front door.

2) [countable] a particular movement or set of movements performed with your feet when you are dancing

dance step:

Juan was practising his new dance steps for the competition.

3) [singular] the particular way that someone walks, that sometimes shows how they are feeling

a spring in your step (= a quick and cheerful attitude in the way you walk):

John felt fantastic and there was a new spring in his step.

4) [countable] one of a series of actions that you do in order to achieve a particular aim

step in:

This new law is the first step in making our city safer.

step towards:

This agreement is an important step towards our goal.

a step along the way/road:

For Jack, this job was a mere step along the road to power.

See:

right II

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Collocations:
Adjectives frequently used with step
▪  cautious, decisive, drastic, important, logical, positive, tentative, unprecedented, unusual

5) [countable] a flat piece of wood or stone, usually one in a series, that you walk up or down in order to move to a different level

I met him on the front steps of the bank.

The woman took them down some steps leading to the beach.

a flight of steps (= a long set of steps):

I climbed a flight of steep narrow steps.

the foot of the steps:

waiting at the foot of the cellar steps

6) [countable] one of the stages in a process, or one of the levels on a scale

steps in your learning process

a step up:

Her new job is a big step up for her.

a step up on the pay scale

be a/one step ahead of someone:

She was congratulating herself on her cleverness, but he was one step ahead of her.

repeat a step:

When you finish the exercise, repeat steps five to ten.

7) [countable/uncountable] a type of exercise that you do by quickly moving onto and off a low piece of equipment

She teaches a step class.

8) [countable] music American a tone in music

9) steps

[plural] British a stepladder

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in/into step — if people walk in step, each person moves their feet at exactly the same time as the others; if people or things are in step, they agree or move at the same rate

fall in/into step:

The protesters fell in step as they marched past the prison.

in/into step with:

Prices usually keep in step with inflation.

a step forward(s)/backwards — something that makes a situation better/worse

The new microchip is a major step forward in computer technology.

watch/mind your step — to be careful when you are walking so that you do not slip or fall; informal used for saying that someone must be careful about what they are saying, or how they behave

You're going to get into trouble again if you don't watch your step!

- every step of the way

- out of step

- step by step

- take a step

II UK [step] / US verb [intransitive]
Word forms "step":
present tense I/you/we/they step he/she/it steps present participle stepping past tense stepped past participle stepped

1) to move by putting one foot down in front of or behind the other

step back/down/into etc:

Step back or you'll get hit by the ball.

I stepped onto the platform and started to speak.

Another soldier was injured when he stepped on a landmine.

2) to move or walk a short distance

step into/away from/up to/over etc:

Sally stepped gingerly into the icy water.

We stepped aside to let them pass.

He stepped from his car and helped her out.

step inside/outside:

Please step inside and wait for a moment.

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Collocations:
Adverbs frequently used with step
▪  boldly, briskly, carefully, delicately, gingerly, smartly

step out of/from something — if someone seems to have stepped out of a book, film etc, they seem to be very much like a character from it

characters that might have stepped straight out of Dickens

- step on it

- step out of line

- step outside

Phrasal verbs:

- step aside

- step back

- step down

- step forward

- step in

- step on

- step out

- step up