stepwise

step ► NOUN 1) an act of lifting and setting down the foot or alternate feet, as in walking. 2) the distance covered by a step. 3) informal a short and easily walked distance. 4) a flat surface on which to place one's foot when moving from one level to another. 5) a position or grade in a scale or hierarchy. 6) a measure or action taken to deal with or achieve something. 7) (steps or a pair of steps) Brit. a stepladder. 8) a block fixed to a boat's keel to take the base of a mast or other fitting. 9) Music, chiefly US an interval in a scale; a tone (whole step) or semitone (half step).

► VERB (stepped, stepping) 1) lift and set down one's foot or alternate feet. 2) set up (a mast) in its step.

● in (or out of) step — Cf. ↑out of step

● follow in someone's steps — Cf. ↑follow in someone's steps

● mind (or watch) one's step — Cf. ↑watch one's step

● step down (or aside) — Cf. ↑step down

● step forward — Cf. ↑step forward

● step in — Cf. ↑step in

● step on it — Cf. ↑step on it

● step out — Cf. ↑step out

● step out of line — Cf. ↑step out of line

● step up — Cf. ↑step up

DERIVATIVES stepped adjective stepper noun stepwise adjective.

ORIGIN Old English.