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Dictionary

Words, grammatical forms and meanings linked to the ontology.

footstep en · NOUN

Pronunciation

Etymology

From Middle English fotstep, fotstappe, from Old English *fōtstepe, *fōtstæpe (attested only in derivative fōtstappel (“footstep”)), equivalent to foot + step. Cognate with Saterland Frisian Foutstappe (“footstep”), West Frisian fuotstap (“footstep”), Dutch voetstap (“footstep”).

Meanings

  1. The mark or impression left by a foot; a track.
    • The child watched as his footsteps in the sand were washed away by the waves.
  2. (broadly, figuratively, sometimes) The indications or waypoints of a course or direction taken.
    • To walk the footsteps of greatness requires that you start at the bottom of a long stair.
    • follow in someone's footsteps
  3. The sound made by walking, running etc.
    • The footsteps of the students echoed in the empty hall.
    • Hear footsteps creak the floor / The shadows give away / Someone outside the door / Won't let 'em in 2009, “A Looking In View”, in Jerry Cantrell (lyrics), Black Gives Way To Blue, performed by Alice in Chains, Track 5:
  4. A step, as in a stair.
    • The garden path had a small footstep down to the main walkway.
  5. The distance between one foot and the next when walking; a pace.
    • Mere footsteps away from the victim lay the murder weapon.
  6. The act of taking a step.
    • God moves in a myſterious way, / His wonders to perform; / He plants his footſteps in the ſea, / And rides upon the ſtorm. 1780, William Cowper, “Light Shining out of Darkneſs”, in Twenty-ſix Letters on Religious Subjects […] To which are added Hymns […] , 4th edition, page 252:
    • Take one more footstep towards me, and I'll make you sorry!
  7. (obsolete) An inclined plane under a hand printing press.

Forms

SpellingFeaturesLabelsSource
footsteps Number=Plur lexicographic

Deriveds

devil's footstep

Relateds

footer

Synonyms

riser · trail · step · step · tread · plod · step · track · tread · footprint · path · step · point · stride · pace · stride · footfall · step · plod · step · pace

Translations (117)

ru шаг (sound of a footstep) · sq Gjurmë (mark left by a foot) · mi tapuwae (mark left by a foot) · fr empreinte (mark left by a foot) · sq Verkamt (gheg) (signs of a course taken) · kmr şûnpê (mark left by a foot) · grc ἴχνος (mark left by a foot) · cs stopa (mark left by a foot) · sq Verkam (gheg) (mark left by a foot) · uk слід (mark left by a foot) · fr trace de pas (mark left by a foot) · fr pas (sound of a footstep) · pt passo (distance of one footstep) · tr ayak izi (mark left by a foot) · sw nyayo (signs of a course taken) · sv fotavtryck (mark left by a foot) · hy քայլ (distance of one footstep) · pt pegada (mark left by a foot) · ba баҫҡыс (step, as in a stair) · ota باصامق (step, as in a stair) · fi jalanjälki (mark left by a foot) · bg крачка (act of taking a step) · ota مرتبه (step, as in a stair) · es peldaño (step, as in a stair) · nl pas (distance of one footstep) · nl voetstap (sound of a footstep) · fi askelmitta (distance of one footstep) · es pisada (sound of a footstep) · ckb پێنگاو (signs of a course taken) · nl trede (step, as in a stair) · sv steg (sound of a footstep) · it passo (distance of one footstep) · nl voet (distance of one footstep) · eo spuro (signs of a course taken) · ttj omulindi class 3 (sound of a footstep) · mi āhiki (distance of one footstep) · ist urma (mark left by a foot) · et jalajälg (mark left by a foot) · bg стъпка (mark left by a foot) · ba эҙ (mark left by a foot) · bg стъпало (step, as in a stair) · it pedata (mark left by a foot) · de Schritt (distance of one footstep) · es paso (step, as in a stair) · ota آدیم (distance of one footstep) · eo piedsigno (mark left by a foot) · ota آدیم (act of taking a step) · nl tree (step, as in a stair) · de Fußabdruck (mark left by a foot) · pt passo (act of taking a step) · sv steg (distance of one footstep) · fr enjambée (distance of one footstep) · et sammude kõla (sound of a footstep) · hu lábnyom (mark left by a foot) · it gradino (step, as in a stair) · fi askel (act of taking a step) · eo paŝo (act of taking a step) · kmr pêjn (sound of a footstep) · hu lépés (sound of a footstep) · nl voetafdruk (mark left by a foot) · la vestigium (mark left by a foot) · kmr pejn (sound of a footstep) · sv trappsteg (step, as in a stair) · es paso (mark left by a foot) · pt passo (mark left by a foot) · nl voetafdruk (signs of a course taken) · it passo (act of taking a step) · sv steg (step, as in a stair) · es pisadura (sound of a footstep) · cs krok (distance of one footstep) · ba атлау (act of taking a step) · hu nyomdok (signs of a course taken) · nl pas (act of taking a step) · pt degrau (step, as in a stair) · sv fotspår (signs of a course taken) · ru след (signs of a course taken) · et jälg (signs of a course taken) · fi jalanjälki (signs of a course taken) · sw nyayo (mark left by a foot) · pt passo (sound of a footstep) · es huella (mark left by a foot) · fr marche (step, as in a stair) · ba аҙым (distance of one footstep) · sv steg (act of taking a step) · cs schod (step, as in a stair) · ota پایه (step, as in a stair) · fi askel (sound of a footstep) · ckb شوێنپێ (mark left by a foot) · nl spoor (signs of a course taken) · sv fotspår (mark left by a foot) · ru шаг (act of taking a step) · fi askel (distance of one footstep) · fr pas (distance of one footstep) · bg крачка (distance of one footstep) · mi āhiki (act of taking a step) · ru шаг (distance of one footstep) · it passo (sound of a footstep) · it orma (signs of a course taken) · sq Gjurmët (signs of a course taken) · pt pegada (signs of a course taken) · nl voetstap (mark left by a foot) · hy քայլ (sound of a footstep) · ru след (mark left by a foot) · cs stopa (signs of a course taken) · hy քայլ (act of taking a step) · kmr pêngav (signs of a course taken) · fr marche (act of taking a step) · cs krok (act of taking a step) · bg шум от стъпки (sound of a footstep) · orv плесна (mark left by a foot) · mi takahanga waewae (mark left by a foot) · ru ступе́нька (step, as in a stair) · es paso (distance of one footstep) · mi āhiki (mark left by a foot) · fi askelma (step, as in a stair) · fr bruit de pas (sound of a footstep) · it impronta (mark left by a foot)