<p><strong>Noun</strong></p><ul><li>a movement made by lifting the foot and setting it down again in a new position, accompanied by a shifting of the weight of the body in the direction of the new position, as in walking, running, or dancing.</li><li>such a movement followed by a movement of equal distance of the other foot.</li><li>the space passed over or the distance measured by one such movement of the foot.</li><li>the sound made by the foot in making such a movement.</li><li>a mark or impression made by the foot on the ground; footprint.</li><li>the manner of walking; gait; stride.</li><li>pace in marching: double-quick step.</li><li>a pace uniform with that of another or others, or in time with music.</li><li>steps, movements or course in walking or running: to retrace one's steps.</li><li>a move, act, or proceeding, as toward some end or in the general course of some action; stage, measure, or period: the five steps to success.</li><li>rank, degree, or grade, as on a vertical scale.</li><li>a support for the foot in ascending or descending: a step of a ladder; a stair of 14 steps.</li><li>a very short distance: She was never more than a step away from her children.</li><li>a repeated pattern or unit of movement in a dance formed by a combination of foot and body motions.</li><li>step aerobics.</li><li>Music: a degree of the staff or of the scale.</li><li>the interval between two adjacent scale degrees; second.</li><li>steps, British: a stepladder.</li><li>an offset part of anything.</li><li>Nautical: a socket, frame, or platform for supporting the lower end of a mast.</li><li>Mining: a flat-topped ledge on the face of a quarry or a mine working.</li></ul><p><strong>Verb</strong></p><ul><li>(used without object) to call or cry out loudly and vigorously.</li><li>to speak or laugh noisily or unrestrainedly.</li><li>(used with object) to take (a step, pace, stride, etc.).</li><li>to go through or perform the steps of (a dance).</li><li>to move or set (the foot) in taking a step.</li><li>to measure (a distance, ground, etc.) by steps (sometimes followed by off or out).</li><li>to make or arrange in the manner of a series of steps.</li><li>Nautical: to fix (a mast) in its step.</li></ul><p><strong>Verb Phrase</strong></p><ul><li>to become involved; intervene, as in a quarrel or fight: The brawl was well under way by the time the police stepped in.</li><li>to leave a place, especially for a brief period of time.</li><li>to walk or march at a more rapid pace.</li><li>to go out to a social gathering or on a date: We're stepping out tonight.</li><li>to raise or increase by degrees: to step up production.</li><li>to be promoted; advance.</li><li>to make progress; improve.</li><li>to lower or decrease by degrees.</li><li>to relinquish one's authority or control; resign: Although he was past retirement age, he refused to step down and let his son take over the business.</li></ul>