Longman Dictionary of Contemporary English - step

~1 n 1 »MOVEMENT« the movement you make when you put one foot in front of the other when walking  (With every step my bags seemed heavier. | take a step)  (Take two steps forward and one step back. | retrace your steps (=go back the way you came) | direct/bend your steps literary (=walk in a particular direction))  (The sun was setting as he bent his steps towards home.) 2 »ACTION« one of a series of things that you do in order to deal with a problem or to succeed  (Dole's first step will be to unite the party.) + towards  (The talks are an important step towards reconciliation.) take steps (=take action)  (We must take steps to make sure such an accident can never happen again. | a step forward)  (The discovery of penicillin was a major step forward in the treatment of infections. | a step in the right direction (=an action that is not complete, but is good as a beginning) | step backward (=something you do that makes a situation worse))  (Many teachers see an emphasis on written tests as a step backwards in education.) 3 »STAIR« a flat narrow piece of wood or stone, especially one in a series, that you put your foot on when you are going up or down in a building  (Jenny waited on the church steps. | flight of steps (=set of steps))  (- see also doorstep1 (1)) 4 »IN A PROCESS« a stage in a process or a position on a scale  (Every year you go up one step on the salary scale. | every step of the way (=continuously during every stage of something))  (Pam's husband has supported her every step of the way. | a step up)  (Nina's promotion is quite a step up for one so young.)  (- compare stage1 (1)) 5 »DANCING« a movement of your feet in dancing  (Wayne's learning the steps for the new routine.) 6 mind BrE /watch your step a) to be careful about what you say or how you behave  (You'll get into trouble if you don't watch your step.) b) to be careful when you are walking  (Mind your step - the railing's loose.) 7 be/keep in step a) if people or their ideas are in step, they agree with each other or with what is usual, acceptable etc  (Suzie tries to keep in step with fashion.) b) to march with a group of people so that your right feet all go forward at the same time 8 be out of step a) if people or their ideas are out of step, they are different from the other people in a group  (Joshua's out of step with modern life.) b) if someone marching with a group is out of step, they are marching with their right foot going forward at a different time than everyone else 9 »SOUND« the sound you make when you set your foot down while walking  (I heard a step in the corridor.)  (- compare footstep) 10 »DISTANCE« the short distance you move when you take a step while walking  (There's a pub just a few steps down the road.)  (- compare pace1 (3)) 11 fall into step to walk so that you are putting your right foot forward at the same time as the people you are walking with  (Mr. Jones soon fell into step beside her.) 12 step by step slowly and gradually from one stage to the next  (Adam's learning the rules of chess step by step.) 13 be one step ahead to be better prepared for something or know more about something  (A good teacher should always be one step ahead of his students.) 14 »WAY SB WALKS« C usually singular the way someone walks, which often tells you how they are feeling  (Gianni's usual bouncy step) 15 steps BrE a stepladder 16 »EXERCISE« a type of exercise you do by walking onto and off a flat piece of equipment several inches high, of that piece of equipment itself  (Beginners' step class 7 pm.) 17 »MUSIC« AmE the difference in pitch2 (6) between two musical notes that are separated by one key2 (4) on the piano; tone1 (8) BrE ~2 v stepped, stepping 1 »TAKE ONE STEP« to raise one foot and put it down in front of the other one + forward/back/down etc  (Step aside, let the doctor through.) 2 »WALK« to walk a short distance + inside/outside etc  (I stepped into the hall to wait.) step this way (=come the way I am showing you) 3 »STAND ON STH« to bring your foot down on something; tread1 (1) BrE + in/on etc  (I stepped in a puddle and got my shoes wet.) 4 step forward to come and offer help  (Police are appealing for witnesses to step forward.) 5 step out of line to behave badly by breaking rules or disobeying orders 6 step on it/step on the gas AmE spoken to drive faster  (If you don't step on it we'll miss the plane.) 7 step lively! BrE spoken used to tell someone to hurry  (- see also step into the breach breach1 (5)) step down also step aside phr v to leave your job or official position  (step down as sth)  (Eve has stepped down as chairperson. | step in favour of sb/sth)  (Lister is stepping down in favor of a younger man.) step in phr v to become involved in a discussion or disagreement, especially in order to stop the trouble; intervene  (If the dispute continues, the government will have to step in.) step out phr v AmE 1 to go out for a short time  (Molly just stepped out but she'll be back soon.)  (- see also pop1 (1)) 2 old-fashioned to start walking fast step sth up phr v to increase the amount of an activity or the speed of a process in order to improve a situation  (We will be stepping up production to meet the increased demand.)