Stepping

3 definitions found

From The Collaborative International Dictionary of English v.0.48 [gcide]:

  Step \Step\, v. i. [imp. & p. p. {Stepped}; p. pr. & vb. n.
     {Stepping}.] [AS. staeppan; akin to OFries. steppa, D.
     stappen to step, stap a step, OHG. stepfen to step, G. stapfe
     a footstep, OHG. stapfo, G. stufe a step to step on; cf. Gr.
     ? to shake about, handle roughly, stamp (?). Cf. {Stamp}, n.
     & a.]


     1. To move the foot in walking; to advance or recede by
        raising and moving one of the feet to another resting
        place, or by moving both feet in succession.
        [1913 Webster]
  
     2. To walk; to go on foot; esp., to walk a little distance;
        as, to step to one of the neighbors.
        [1913 Webster]
  
     3. To walk slowly, gravely, or resolutely.
        [1913 Webster]
  
              Home the swain retreats,
              His flock before him stepping to the fold.
                                                    --Thomson.
        [1913 Webster]
  
     4. Fig.: To move mentally; to go in imagination.
        [1913 Webster]
  
              They are stepping almost three thousand years back
              into the remotest antiquity.          --Pope.
        [1913 Webster]
  
     {To step aside}, to walk a little distance from the rest; to
        retire from company.
  
     {To step forth}, to move or come forth.
  
     {To step in} or {To step into}.
        (a) To walk or advance into a place or state, or to
            advance suddenly in.
            [1913 Webster]
  
                  Whosoever then first, after the troubling of the
                  water, stepped in, was made whole of whatsoever
                  disease he had.                   --John v. 4.
            [1913 Webster]
        (b) To enter for a short time; as, I just stepped into the
            house.
        (c) To obtain possession without trouble; to enter upon
            easily or suddenly; as, to step into an estate.
  
     {To step out}.
        (a) (Mil.) To increase the length, but not the rapidity,
            of the step, extending it to thirty-tree inches.
        (b) To go out for a short distance or a short time.
  
     {To step short} (Mil.), to diminish the length or rapidity of
        the step according to the established rules.
        [1913 Webster]

From WordNet (r) 2.0 [wn]:

  step
       n 1: any maneuver made as part of progress toward a goal; "the
            situation called for strong measures"; "the police took
            steps to reduce crime" [syn: {measure}]
       2: the distance covered by a step; "he stepped off ten paces
          from the old tree and began to dig" [syn: {footstep}, {pace},
           {stride}]
       3: the act of changing location by raising the foot and setting
          it down; "he walked with unsteady steps"
       4: support consisting of a place to rest the foot while
          ascending or descending a stairway; "he paused on the
          bottom step" [syn: {stair}]
       5: relative position in a graded series; "always a step
          behind"; "subtle gradations in color"; "keep in step with
          the fashions" [syn: {gradation}]
       6: a short distance; "it's only a step to the drugstore" [syn:
          {stone's throw}]
       7: the sound of a step of someone walking; "he heard footsteps
          on the porch" [syn: {footfall}, {footstep}]
       8: a musical interval of two semitones [syn: {tone}, {whole
          tone}, {whole step}]
       9: a mark of a foot or shoe on a surface; "the police made
          casts of the footprints in the soft earth outside the
          window" [syn: {footprint}, {footmark}]
       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; "he taught them the waltz step" [syn: {dance step}]
       v 1: shift or move by taking a step; "step back"
       2: put down or press the foot, place the foot; "For fools rush
          in where angels fear to tread"; "step on the brake" [syn:
          {tread}]
       3: cause (a computer) to execute a single command
       4: treat badly; "This boss abuses his workers"; "She is always
          stepping on others to get ahead" [syn: {mistreat}, {maltreat},
           {abuse}, {ill-use}, {ill-treat}]
       5: furnish with steps; "The architect wants to step the
          terrace"
       6: move with one's feet in a specific manner; "step lively"
       7: walk a short distance to a specified place or in a specified
          manner; "step over to the blackboard"
       8: place (a ship's mast) in its step
       9: measure (distances) by pacing; "step off ten yards" [syn: {pace}]
       10: move or proceed as if by steps into a new situation; "She
           stepped into a life of luxury"; "he won't step into his
           father's footsteps"
       [also: {stepping}, {stepped}]

From WordNet (r) 2.0 [wn]:

  stepping
       See {step}