I.
noun
1 in walking, running, etc.
ADJECTIVE
▪ large , small
▪ heavy , light
▪ quick , slow
▪ hesitant
▪ involuntary
▪
I gasped and took an involuntary ~ back.
▪ careful
▪ shaky , unsteady
VERB + STEP
▪ go , take
▪
He'd only gone a few ~s when he realized he'd left his keys behind.
▪ retrace
▪
You might find your ticket if you retrace your ~s back to the car.
PREPOSITION
▪ ~ (away) from
▪
She was only a ~ away from the cliff edge.
▪ ~ towards/toward
▪
He took a hesitant ~ towards/toward her.
PHRASES
▪ a spring in your ~
▪
I had a spring in my ~ when I walked into that office for the last time.
▪ a ~ ahead , a ~ behind ( both often figurative )
▪
He lagged a few ~s behind.
▪
She's always one ~ ahead of the competition.
▪ a ~ back , a ~ backwards/backward
▪ a ~ forward
▪ a ~ sideways
▪ a ~ closer
▪
We've moved a ~ closer to independence.
▪ with each ~ , with every ~
▪
He grew fainter with every ~.
2 in dancing
ADJECTIVE
▪ dance
▪ jive , tango , etc.
VERB + STEP
▪ execute , perform
▪
He executed some dance ~s for the judges.
▪ learn
▪ keep in
▪
She had trouble keeping in ~ with the others.
PREPOSITION
▪ in ~ , out of ~ (with)
▪
He was out of ~ with the music.
3 action taken in order to achieve sth
ADJECTIVE
▪ big , considerable , giant , huge , massive ( esp. BrE )
▪ small
▪ critical , crucial , decisive , essential , great , historic , important , key , major , significant , vital
▪ first , initial , preliminary
▪ final , last
▪ additional , extra , further , next
▪
What's the next ~?
▪ logical , necessary , reasonable
▪
We shall take all necessary ~s to prevent public disorder.
▪ active
▪ forward , positive
▪ backward , retrograde ( esp. BrE )
▪
The new law is seen by many as a backward ~.
▪ bold , brave
▪ dramatic , drastic , extraordinary , rare , unprecedented , unusual
▪ irreversible , irrevocable
▪
It suddenly struck her that having a baby was an irrevocable ~.
▪ careful , precautionary
▪ faltering , tentative
▪
They have taken their first tentative ~s towards/toward democracy.
▪ practical
▪ welcome
▪ immediate , urgent
▪
I shall take immediate ~s to have this matter put right.
▪ false
▪
One false ~ could mean disaster.
… OF STEPS
▪ number , series
VERB + STEP
▪ go , make , take
▪ follow
▪
If you follow all the ~s, nothing will go wrong.
PREPOSITION
▪ ~ in
▪
The move was a first ~ in establishing a union.
▪ ~ towards/toward
▪
The talks mark a ~ towards/toward peace.
PHRASES
▪ a ~ closer (to sth)
▪
Greece moved a ~ closer to the final with last night's win.
▪ a short ~ from sth to sth
▪
It's only a short ~ from disorder to complete chaos.
▪ a ~ back , a ~ backwards/backward
▪
This can only be seen as a ~ backward.
▪ a ~ forward
▪
The offer constitutes a considerable ~ forward.
▪
We seemed to be taking three ~s forward and one ~ back.
▪ step by step
▪
a step-by-step guide to setting up an aquarium
▪ a ~ further
▪
If he goes one ~ further with this crazy idea, I'll resign.
▪ a ~ in the right direction
▪
The new speed limit does not solve the problem, but it is a ~ in the right direction.
▪ a ~ on the road to sth , a ~ on the way to sth
4 on stairs, a ladder, etc.
ADJECTIVE
▪ bottom , top
▪ door (usually doorstep )
VERB + STEP
▪ mind ( esp. BrE )
▪
Mind the ~!
PREPOSITION
▪ on a/the ~
▪
She paused on the top ~.
PHRASES
▪ a ~ down , a ~ up
▪
There are three ~s down to the kitchen.
5 steps set of steps
ADJECTIVE
▪ front
▪ back
▪ porch ( esp. AmE )
▪ concrete , marble , wooden , etc.
… OF STEPS
▪ flight
▪
You have to go up four flights of ~s to get up to the roof.
VERB + STEPS
▪ go up , run up , walk up
▪
She went up the ~s to the side entrance.
▪ ascend , climb , mount
▪ descend
▪ go down , run down , walk down
▪ sit on
STEPS + VERB
▪ lead to sth
▪
The front ~s lead to an enormous terrace.
PREPOSITION
▪ ~ to
▪
the ~s to the roof
▪ ~ down to , ~ up to
▪
the ~s down to the pool
PHRASES
▪ the bottom of the ~s , the foot of the ~s , the top of the ~s
II.
verb
ADVERB
▪ briskly , quickly
▪ hastily , smartly ( esp. BrE )
▪
He stepped back hastily from the edge.
▪ slowly
▪ quietly , silently
▪ delicately , lightly
▪ carefully , cautiously , gingerly
▪
He stepped gingerly over the cat.
▪ boldly
▪ aside , away , back , backwards/backward , close , down , forth ( esp. AmE ), forward , inside , out , outside , up
▪
Would you like to ~ inside for a few minutes?
PREPOSITION
▪ across , from , in , in front of , into , on , onto , out of , over , towards/toward
▪
Don't ~ in the puddle.