Step \Step\, v. i. [imp. & p. p. Stepped; p. pr. & vb. n.
   Stepping.] [AS. staeppan; akin to OFries. steppa, D.
   stappen to step, stap a step, OHG. stepfen to step, G. stapfe
   a footstep, OHG. stapfo, G. stufe a step to step on; cf. Gr.
   ? to shake about, handle roughly, stamp (?). Cf. Stamp, n.
   & a.]
   1. To move the foot in walking; to advance or recede by
      raising and moving one of the feet to another resting
      place, or by moving both feet in succession.
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   2. To walk; to go on foot; esp., to walk a little distance;
      as, to step to one of the neighbors.
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   3. To walk slowly, gravely, or resolutely.
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            Home the swain retreats,
            His flock before him stepping to the fold.
                                                  --Thomson.
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   4. Fig.: To move mentally; to go in imagination.
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            They are stepping almost three thousand years back
            into the remotest antiquity.          --Pope.
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   To step aside, to walk a little distance from the rest; to
      retire from company.

   To step forth, to move or come forth.

   To step in or To step into.
      (a) To walk or advance into a place or state, or to
          advance suddenly in.
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                Whosoever then first, after the troubling of the
                water, stepped in, was made whole of whatsoever
                disease he had.                   --John v. 4.
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      (b) To enter for a short time; as, I just stepped into the
          house.
      (c) To obtain possession without trouble; to enter upon
          easily or suddenly; as, to step into an estate.

   To step out.
      (a) (Mil.) To increase the length, but not the rapidity,
          of the step, extending it to thirty-tree inches.
      (b) To go out for a short distance or a short time.

   To step short (Mil.), to diminish the length or rapidity of
      the step according to the established rules.
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