INDEX:
1. to walk
2. to walk quickly
3. to walk slowly in a relaxed way
4. to walk slowly because you are tired
5. to walk slowly because you are in pain or weak
6. to walk in an unsteady way
7. to walk with heavy, noisy steps
8. to walk quietly
9. to walk proudly
10. to walk without going in one particular direction
11. to walk for pleasure or exercise
12. to walk through water
13. to walk with regular steps with other people
14. to walk slowly and carefully
15. a trip that you make by walking
16. a single movement when you are walking
17. the way someone walks
18. someone who is walking
RELATED WORDS
see also
↑ GO
↑ TRAVEL
↑ RUN
↑ FALL
↑ ROAD/PATH
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1. to walk
▷ walk /wɔːk/ [intransitive verb]
▪ Anna missed the bus, so she decided to walk.
▪ How old was Daisy when she first started walking?
walk into/out of/along/back etc
▪ Jed walked out of the station and got into a taxi.
▪ I was walking along Main Street when I met Pierre.
walk home
▪ She hates walking home alone at night.
walk two miles/100 metres etc
▪ We must have walked about five miles today.
▷ on foot /ɒn ˈfʊt/ [adverb]
if you go somewhere on foot, you walk instead of going by car, bus, train etc :
▪ It’s not far. It’ll take you about ten minutes on foot.
go on foot
▪ The bus left us at the bottom of the hill, and we went the rest of the way on foot.
2. to walk quickly
▷ stride /straɪd/ [intransitive verb]
to walk quickly, taking big steps, in an angry, determined or confident way :
stride into/out of/towards etc
▪ Brian strode out of the room without speaking.
▪ The Principal came striding towards me, and shook my hand.
▷ march /mɑːʳtʃ/ [intransitive verb]
to walk quickly and with firm steps, especially because you feel angry or determined :
march into/off/towards etc
▪ Sheila marched straight into the office and demanded an apology.
▪ ‘I’ll never forgive you for this,’ Marge said, and she marched off without a backward glance.
▷ pace /peɪs/ [intransitive/transitive verb]
to walk backwards and forwards within a small area, especially because you are nervous, bored, or angry :
pace back and forth/up and down
▪ ‘We’re going to be late,’ Jordan said irritably, pacing up and down the room.
▪ Sarah paced back and forth along the corridor, waiting for the doctor to come back.
▪ A lion paced up and down the cage, growling.
pace the room/floor etc
▪ Meryl was also awake, pacing the floor in her dressing-gown.
3. to walk slowly in a relaxed way
▷ stroll /strəʊl/ [intransitive verb]
to walk in a slow and relaxed way, especially for pleasure :
stroll along/through/around etc
▪ They strolled along the riverbank, enjoying the evening sun.
▪ We drove to Penrhyn Castle, and strolled around the beautiful gardens there.
▷ amble /ˈæmb ə l/ [intransitive verb]
to walk in a slow and relaxed way, especially when you are going a short distance, or not going anywhere in particular :
amble across/along/towards etc
▪ An old man appeared from behind the house and ambled across the yard.
▪ One of the horses, a white one, slowly ambled towards me.
▪ Cecil was ambling along as usual without a care in the world.
▷ saunter /ˈsɔːntəʳ/ [intransitive verb]
to walk in a slow and lazy way, often when you should be hurrying to do something :
saunter down/into/across etc
▪ ‘Shouldn’t you be in class?’ Mr Harris asked the girls who were sauntering down the corridor.
▪ I sauntered into the garden, where some friends were chatting near the barbecue.
▪ As usual, Ron sauntered into the office twenty minutes late.
4. to walk slowly because you are tired
▷ trudge/plod /trʌdʒ, plɒdǁplɑːd/ [intransitive verb]
to walk slowly and with heavy steps, especially because you are tired, it is difficult to walk, or you do not want to go somewhere :
trudge/plod through/back/along etc
▪ She trudged back up the hill, loaded down with heavy bags of groceries.
▪ We trudged to school through the snow, wishing we could be playing in it.
▪ The donkey was plodding slowly along under its heavy load.
▷ traipse /treɪps/ [intransitive verb]
to walk a long way, especially when you are looking for something or visiting different places, so that you become tired :
traipse around/about/in and out etc
▪ We traipsed around every store in town, trying to find the right color paint.
▪ Traipsing round museums all day is not my idea of fun.
5. to walk slowly because you are in pain or weak
▷ hobble /ˈhɒb ə lǁˈhɑː-/ [intransitive verb]
to walk with difficulty in a slow and unsteady way because it is painful for you to walk :
▪ My knee was stiff and painful, and I could only hobble.
hobble across/along/towards etc
▪ Aunt Sophy hobbled slowly across the room on her crutches.
▷ limp /lɪmp/ [intransitive verb]
to walk with difficulty because you have hurt one of your legs :
▪ I noticed that one of the horses was limping, and called for the vet.
limp along/over/towards etc
▪ She limped painfully over to a chair and sat down.
a limp [singular noun]
a limping movement :
▪ Josie walked with a slight limp.
▷ shuffle /ˈʃʌf ə l/ [intransitive verb]
to walk slowly and noisily, without lifting your feet off the ground properly :
shuffle along/towards/down etc
▪ Supporting herself on Ali’s arm, the old woman shuffled towards the door.
▪ I heard Bob shuffling around the kitchen in his slippers.
▷ shamble /ˈʃæmb ə l/ [intransitive verb]
to walk slowly and rather awkwardly, bending forwards in a tired or lazy way :
shamble along/past/out etc
▪ Looking tired and fat, Parker shambled onto the stage and started playing.
▪ An old tramp shambled along, looking for money or cigarette ends on the floor.
6. to walk in an unsteady way
▷ stagger /ˈstægəʳ/ [intransitive verb]
to walk very unsteadily, with your body moving from side to side and almost falling, especially because you are injured, very tired, or drunk :
stagger in/out/home etc
▪ Something hit me on the head, and I staggered across the room.
▪ My father was staggering under the weight of a huge parcel.
▷ stumble /ˈstʌmb ə l/ [intransitive verb]
to walk unsteadily, often hitting things with your feet and almost falling, especially because it is dark, the ground is uneven, or because you are tired or drunk :
stumble in/out/across etc
▪ The room was dark, and Stan nearly fell over a chair as he stumbled to the phone.
▪ I finished the whiskey, then stumbled upstairs and into bed.
▷ lurch /lɜːʳtʃ/ [intransitive verb]
to walk very unsteadily, moving forward or from side to side with sudden, irregular movements :
lurch backwards/towards/forwards etc
▪ Paul lurched sideways as the boat rolled suddenly.
▪ Harriet lurched towards the bathroom, clutching her stomach in pain.
7. to walk with heavy, noisy steps
▷ stomp /stɒmpǁstɑːmp, stɔːmp/ [intransitive verb]
to walk with heavy steps, making a lot of noise to show that you are angry :
stomp out/away/off etc
▪ My sister stomped out of the house, slamming the door behind her.
▪ Kevin looked furious as he stomped into his office. ‘What the hell is going on here?’ he yelled.
▷ clump /klʌmp/ [intransitive verb]
to walk with slow, heavy, noisy steps, for example because you are wearing heavy shoes :
clump up/about/across etc
▪ The three of us clumped up the steps in our heavy ski boots.
▪ The walls are so thin we can hear the man next door clumping about all day.
8. to walk quietly
▷ tiptoe /ˈtɪptəʊ/ [intransitive verb]
to walk on your toes because you do not want to make any noise :
tiptoe into/out of/past etc
▪ He tiptoed out of the room, trying not to wake the baby.
▪ I tiptoed along the passage to Claire’s door and peeped in.
▷ creep /kriːp/ [intransitive verb]
to walk quietly and carefully because you do not want anyone to notice you :
creep in/through/across etc
▪ Ron unlocked the back door and crept out into the yard.
▪ No-one noticed that the little boy had crept into the room and was sitting there, listening.
creep/sneak up behind somebody
walk quietly up behind someone in order to surprise them
▪ She crept up behind him and put her hands over his eyes.
▷ sneak /sniːk/ [intransitive verb]
to walk quietly so that no-one notices you, especially because you are doing something wrong and do not want to be caught :
sneak in/up/around etc
▪ The thieves sneaked in while the guard had his back turned.
▪ Molly snuck around the house.
sneak off
sneak away from a place
▪ We tried to sneak off from work early.
▷ pad /pæd/ [intransitive verb]
to walk quietly and steadily, without shoes or with soft shoes, or on a soft surface :
pad along/down/in etc
▪ Michelle got out of bed, and padded across to the window.
▪ The cat came padding softly across the kitchen floor, and jumped onto my lap.
9. to walk proudly
▷ swagger /ˈswægəʳ/ [intransitive verb]
to walk proudly, swinging your shoulders, in a way that shows too much self-confidence :
swagger into/down/across etc
▪ Ali swaggered arrogantly into the boxing ring, as if he had already won the fight.
▪ Sally’s boyfriend came swaggering down the steps with his hands in his pockets.
swagger [singular noun]
▪ Bernard left the room with a swagger, clearly pleased with himself.
▷ strut /strʌt/ [intransitive verb]
to walk proudly with your head high, shoulders back, and chest pushed forwards in a way that shows you think you are important or impressive :
strut in/through/around etc
▪ He strutted across the stage like Mick Jagger.
▪ The hotel was full of rich people strutting around in fur coats and Rolex watches.
▷ parade /pəˈreɪd/ [intransitive verb]
to walk proudly around a place, in a way that shows you want people to notice and admire you :
parade around/through/up etc
▪ On Sunday mornings, fashionable young couples parade up and down the Boulevard St Michel.
10. to walk without going in one particular direction
▷ walk around also walk round British /ˌwɔːk əˈraʊnd, ˌwɔːk ˈraʊnd/ [intransitive/transitive phrasal verb]
▪ I keep seeing these two strange men walking around. I’m sure they’re up to something.
▪ We walked round the market for a while, and then we went to the beach.
▷ wander /ˈwɒndəʳǁˈwɑːn-/ [intransitive/transitive verb]
to walk around with no particular aim and in no particular direction, especially in a place you do not know or when you are lost :
wander about/around/through etc
▪ For an hour and a half we wandered around the old city, totally lost.
▪ We wandered along the river bank, looking for a place to cross.
wander the streets/hills/town etc
▪ After dinner Carol left the hotel to wander the crowded streets.
▷ roam /rəʊm/ [intransitive/transitive verb]
to walk around freely and with no particular aim :
roam about/around/over etc
▪ Tourists love roaming about the old town.
▪ Great herds of wild deer roam freely over the hills.
roam the streets/desert/hills etc
▪ Residents of the Red Hall estate claim to be living in fear of gangs who roam the streets after dark.
▷ prowl /praʊl/ [intransitive/transitive verb]
to quietly walk around an area or building, trying not to be seen or heard, especially in order to steal something or attack someone :
prowl around/round
▪ Several wolves prowled round the camp, but were kept at bay by the fire.
▪ The babysitter said she could hear someone prowling around in the garden.
prowl the streets/neighbourhood/city etc
▪ Police have warned the public that the killer may still be prowling the streets.
11. to walk for pleasure or exercise
▷ walk /wɔːk/ [intransitive verb]
▪ Walking instead of driving is an excellent way of losing weight.
walk in/across/along etc
▪ Sheena’s up at six every morning to walk along the beach.
▪ I like to go walking in the woods, just to breathe the air.
walker [countable noun]
▪ The park was full of Sunday afternoon walkers.
▷ go for a walk/take a walk /ˌgəʊ fər ə ˈwɔːk, ˌteɪk ə ˈwɔːk/ [verb phrase]
to walk somewhere for pleasure or for exercise. Go for a walk is more common in spoken English than take a walk :
▪ It’s a lovely evening. Let’s go for a walk.
go for a walk/take a walk along/through/across etc
▪ He said he was going for a walk around the block to clear his head.
▪ We arrived in St Louis at noon, and took a walk down by the Mississippi River.
▷ go for a stroll /ˌgəʊ fər ə ˈstrəʊl/ [verb phrase]
to walk in a slow and relaxed way, especially for pleasure :
go for a stroll along/through/across etc
▪ Dave strolled along the riverbank, enjoying the evening sun.
▪ They decided to go for a stroll along the beach.
▷ hike /haɪk/ [intransitive verb]
to take a long walk in the countryside :
▪ Patricia likes doing active things like canoeing, hiking, and horse-riding.
▪ We’re going to hike to the top of that hill over there.
go hiking
▪ We’re going hiking in Scotland this summer.
▷ trek /trek/ [intransitive verb] especially British
to walk a very long way, especially in the mountains, for enjoyment :
▪ We trekked up Mount Calahi for five days.
▪ The scouts will have to trek 40km back to the base camp.
go trekking
▪ Maria’s going trekking in the Himalayas this year.
▷ stretch your legs /ˌstretʃ jɔːʳ ˈlegz/ [verb phrase]
to walk around for a little exercise after a long time sitting down :
▪ After so long on the train, we couldn’t wait to get out and stretch our legs.
▪ Do you feel like stopping here and stretching your legs?
▷ walk the dog /ˌwɔːk ðə ˈdɒgǁ-ˈdɔːg/ [verb phrase]
to take your dog for a walk :
▪ I get quite a lot of exercise myself by walking the dog.
▪ Geoff wants a Walkman for when he walks the dogs.
12. to walk through water
▷ wade /weɪd/ [intransitive verb]
to walk through deep water :
wade across/towards/through etc
▪ They waded across the river.
▷ paddle British /wade American /ˈpædl, weɪd/ [intransitive verb]
to walk in water that is not very deep, for enjoyment :
▪ One of my earliest memories is paddling in the sea with my parents.
▪ Ryan took off his shoes and socks to wade in the stream.
13. to walk with regular steps with other people
▷ march /mɑːʳtʃ/ [intransitive verb]
if soldiers march, they all walk together with regular steps :
into/through/past etc
▪ Thousands of US soldiers marched through the streets of Paris.
▷ in step /ɪn ˈstep/ [adverb]
if a group of people walk in step,they walk at the same speed and move their feet forward at exactly the same time :
▪ The regiment had finally learned to march in step.
in step with
▪ Steve wasn’t walking in step with the rest of the class.
14. to walk slowly and carefully
▷ pick your way /ˌpɪk jɔːʳ ˈweɪ/ [verb phrase]
to walk carefully and slowly because the ground is not level or because you have to step over things, lifting your feet higher off the ground than usual :
pick your way over/through/across etc
▪ The boy began to pick his way over the rocks towards the ocean.
▪ I picked my way across the crowded field, towards the main stage.
▷ edge /edʒ/ [intransitive verb]
to walk slowly and carefully, especially sideways, along or through a small space, because you do not have enough room to walk normally :
▪ Mervyn edged sideways through the front door, which seemed to be stuck.
edge your way
▪ Edging my way through the crowd, I eventually managed to get to the bar.
15. a trip that you make by walking
▷ walk /wɔːk/ [countable noun]
a journey that you make by walking, either for pleasure or exercise, or in order to go somewhere :
▪ It was a pleasant walk, under cool, shady trees.
▪ Emily enjoyed her walks in the park with her father.
go for a walk
walk for pleasure or exercise
▪ I love going for walks in the countryside.
▷ hike /haɪk/ [countable noun]
a long walk in the countryside :
▪ They set off on a 10 mile hike across the island.
▪ The hike back was through the first real jungle I had ever been in.
go on a hike
▪ We went on lots of great hikes.
▷ trek /trek/ [countable noun]
a long and difficult walk in the country, mountains, desert etc :
▪ You’ll need a guide for your treks in the mountains.
▪ I took my backpack and joined some Egyptian friends for a trek in the Sahara.
▪ The trek to the campsite was along bush tracks and down cliffs.
16. a single movement when you are walking
▷ step /step/ [countable noun]
the single movement that you make when you put one foot in front of the other when you are walking :
▪ I was so breathless, I could only manage a few steps.
take a step
▪ Zoe took a step forward to let the man pass.
with short/heavy/light etc steps
▪ She walked briskly, with quick, short steps.
▷ footstep /ˈfʊtstep/ [countable noun usually plural]
the sound of someone’s foot being placed on the ground when they are walking or running :
▪ Suddenly Rachel heard footsteps behind her in the dark street.
▪ I could always recognise my mother’s footsteps as she scurried up the stairs.
▷ pace /peɪs/ [countable noun]
the distance you go when you take a single step :
▪ He took a couple of paces forward, then stopped.
▪ Eddie walked a few paces behind his mother, his head hung low.
▪ I’d gone about ten paces, when I heard a strange sound behind me.
▷ stride /straɪd/ [countable noun]
a long step you take when you are walking quickly :
▪ In four angry strides, Stuart was through the front gate.
▪ Doctor Jameson hurried past us, taking long strides.
17. the way someone walks
▷ walk /wɔːk/ [singular noun]
▪ The woman’s stiff, agitated walk showed how nervous she was.
▪ Janet had the slow, leaning walk of an expectant mother.
▷ gait /geɪt/ [singular noun] written
the way someone walks, especially when it is a little strange or unusual :
▪ Melanie walked with the slightly awkward gait of a very tall person.
▪ The old man approached the counter with a stooped, shuffling gait.
18. someone who is walking
▷ pedestrian /pɪˈdestriən, pəˈdestriən/ [countable noun]
someone who is walking in a town, rather than travelling in a car, bus etc :
▪ Banning traffic from the shopping areas has made life much more pleasant for pedestrians.
▪ The man lost control of his car, killing a pedestrian.
▷ walker/hiker /ˈwɔːkəʳ, ˈhaɪkəʳ/ [countable noun]
someone who walks long distances in the countryside for pleasure :
▪ There’s a rough track through the woods for riders and walkers.
▪ They ran a hostel for hikers in the White Mountains.