WordLens

step

1 of 2noun
/stɛp/
Forms:steps
1

the act of raising one's foot and putting it down in a different place in order to walk or run

  • She took a cautious step forward into the dark room.
  • His steps echoed loudly in the empty hallway.
  • The dancer executed graceful steps across the stage.
  • The hiker carefully navigated each rocky step along the trail.
  • The toddler's first steps were cheered on by her proud parents.
2

a series of flat surfaces used for going up or down

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  • The wooden steps of the porch creaked underfoot as visitors approached the front door of the cottage.
  • The marble steps of the grand staircase gleamed under the chandelier's soft light in the foyer of the mansion.
  • The concrete steps of the fire escape provided a safe route for residents to evacuate the building during emergencies.
  • The spiral staircase wound its way up to the tower's observation deck, with each step offering breathtaking views of the city below.
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3

any maneuver made as part of progress toward a goal

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4

the distance covered by a step

5

a stage in a process or a grade in a scale

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6

a sequence of foot movements that make up a particular dance

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7

a solid block joined to the beams in which the heel of a ship's mast or capstan is fixed

8

the interval between two consecutive pitches in a scale

In music, a step refers to the distance between two adjacent notes on the musical scale. There are two types of steps: a whole step and a half step. A whole step consists of two half steps, which means it spans over one note. A half step is the smallest interval in Western music and represents the distance between two adjacent keys on a piano, whether black or white. Steps are fundamental in constructing scales, melodies, and harmonies, and they help determine the overall structure and movement within a piece of music.

  • In the major scale, there is a whole step between the first and second notes and a half step between the third and fourth notes.
  • The melody ascended by step, creating a smooth and sequential progression of notes.
  • Jazz improvisers often incorporate chromatic steps, adding color and tension to their melodic lines.
  • Beginners in music theory learn to identify intervals of steps and skips in melodies to understand their structure and movement.
  • The composer used repeated steps in the bassline to establish a driving rhythm in the piece.
9

a mark of a foot or shoe on a surface

10

the sound of a step of someone walking

11

a short distance

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12

an exercise that is performed by stepping on and off of an elevated platform