n. 1 movement, move The steps of the dance were very intricate 2 footfall, footstep, tread I think I hear father's step on the stair 3 footstep, footprint, trace, spoor, track, trace, mark, impression; imprint, vestige In his master's steps he trod, where the snow lay dinted 4 action, initiative, measure, activity, procedure, move, motion What steps are needed to improve the situation? 5 stage, move, gradation, degree, progression Can we not proceed from one to the other in easy steps? 6 pace, footstep, stride: My mother's cottage is just a few steps away, at the bottom of the garden 7 in step (with). in keeping (with), in harmony or agreement (with), harmonious (with), agreeable (with), according (with or to), concordant (with), attuned (to), in tune (with), consonant (with), consistent (with), appropriate (to), fitting (for); conventional, traditional, routine Do you think that her ideas of discipline are in step with the times? I am not sure they are in step at all 8 out of step (with). out of keeping (with), out of or not in harmony or agreement (with), not harmonious (with), not agreeable (with), not according (with or to), discordant (with), not concordant (with), not attuned (to), out of tune (with), not consonant (with), inconsistent (with), inappropriate (to), not fitting (for); offbeat, unconventional, eccentric, Slang kinky You must admit that her views are out of step with the committee's 9 step by step. gradually, a step at a time, slowly, steadily The way to unravel the problem is to analyse it step by step 10 steps. a course, way, route, direction, path, movement, passage; journey, journeying, travels, travelling After leaving the village, I directed my steps southward, towards the coast b stairway, stairs, stair, staircase, stepladder, US and Canadian stoop Claire walked down the steps to greet me 11 take steps. proceed, move, begin or start or commence to act or to take action, do something We must take steps to prevent this from happening again 12 watch one's step. tread carefully or cautiously, be cautious or careful, exercise care or caution, be wary or discreet, be on the qui vive, be or remain alert, be on one's guard, have or keep one's wits about one, take care or heed, Colloq pussyfoot about You must really watch your step with Marnie to avoid upsetting her
v. 13 move, walk, look; pace, stride Step lively or you'll miss your last chance to see the elephants 14 step down. a resign, abdicate, quit, bow out, retire Don't you think it time you stepped down from the chairmanship? b decrease, diminish, reduce Using this transformer, we can step down the voltage gradually 15 step in. intervene, interfere, intercede, become involved It seemed the right time for us to step in and take over the company 16 step on it. hurry (up), make haste, hasten, speed up He'd better step on it if he is going to catch his plane 17 step out. a go outside or out of doors, leave Would you mind stepping out for a few minutes while we settle this in private? b go out, socialize Notice how quickly Genevieve has started stepping out again after her bereavement c become disinvolved, withdraw, secede Our firm stepped out of the negotiations when we saw who was bidding 18 step up. a improve, progress George has certainly stepped up in the world since I knew him at university b increase, accelerate, raise, intensify, boost, escalate, up, speed up They stepped up the pace until she could no longer keep up with them