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A Dictionary of the Older Scottish Tongue (up to 1700)

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First published 2001 (DOST Vol. IX).
This entry has not been updated since then but may contain minor corrections and revisions.

Step, Stap(p, Stop(e, v. Also: steep. P.t. also step(t, stap(ed. [ME and e.m.E. steppe(n, stap(en, stop(en (all Layamon), step(en (a1225), stappe (c1400), OE stæppan, stęppan.] intr. See also Fute-steppand pres. p.

1. To take a step; to change one's position by stepping. a1400 Leg. S. vii 121.
Ane of thame went vpe stepand, Quhare Sancte James wes prechand, & keste hym fra the heast gre a1400 Leg. S. xii 172.
Rubene come in thare stepande, & fand hyme a1400 Leg. S. xxxiii 261.
The one horse gat stepande

2. To progress by stepping, to make one's way, to go on foot, to walk. b. Of horses: To go at a walk, to walk. 1611 Melvill Dream in Fugitive Poetry II ii 3.
With that I step a litle langs the gait 1685 Sinclair Satan's Inv. World 247.
Steping to the door to ease nature, he [etc.] 1715 Bk. Carlaverock II 206.
I beg you to doe me the favour to step to my houseb. 1676 Edinb. B. Rec. X 282.
That no haickney coatchemen dryve at anie higher rait than step softlie and that they nether trot nor gallop with there horses

c. fig. (Far, well) step(t in age, advanced in years. 1513 Doug. vi v 19.
All thocht he eildit was, or step in age 1513 Doug. vii xii 78.
Far step in age was he and ald c1646 Craufurd Edinb. Univ. 13.
Mr. John Ray … being well stept in age

3. To take a step or steps, to progress by stepping, in the direction indicated by the adverb, adverbial or prepositional phrase. a. To step abak, bakward. 1513 Doug. ix xiii 45.
Agane samony men … To pres fordwart may he cum na speid Nane other wys Turnus at sik a neid Steppys abak with huly pays full still 1600 Crim. Trials II 198.
Quhairat the Erle stappit bakward all maist foirnent the deponeris hous

b. To step ben. c1500-c1512 Dunb. Tua Mar. W. 485.
Sum stalwardly steppis ben … And a stif standand thing staiffis in mi neiff c1536 Lynd. Compl. Bagsche 169.
Quhen I come steppand ben the flure, All rachis greit roume to me red

c. To step doun, to come down or descend (from a place).(a) 1460 Hay Alex. 2462.
He steppit doun out of the trone(b) 1600 Crim. Trials II 195.
James Adamesone deponit that being in his awin close … Johne Tenendyse wyff … knokit … at his ȝett, … Quha at the hering thairof com suddandlie furth … and immediatlie stoppit doune foirnent the ludgeing

d. To stapp (stope) fordwart, to step or walk forward. Also fig., to take the initiative to achieve something. c1590 Fowler I 103/159.
With him fywe other kings with fame did fordwart march and stappfig. a1578 Pitsc. II 3/32.
That it was best to him to stope fordwart to his awin tyttill and right and lat no preist reif him of that autorietie

e. To step furth. 1456 Hay I 272/4, 6.
The defendour suld byde quhill he persave the provour step furth to cum towart him … or that he mak semblaunce to step furth 1513 Doug. i x 63.
The god of lufe … laid his weyngis by, And blythly steppis furth c1540 Lynd. Syde Taillis 95.
Quhen thay step furth throw the streit [etc.] 1560 Rolland Seven S. 9732.
Alexander … steppit furth … With cop and clapper vnto the Empreours land

f. To step in, to enter. Also fig., to become involved in (a situation). 15.. Christis Kirk 41 (M).
Stewin come steppand [B stoppand] in with stendis 1600-1610 Melvill 81.
In stappes Schipper Lindsay … and paesses upe and down 1665 Laing MSS 346.
The provest … stept in and satt doun 1665–7 Lauder Jrnl. 100.
A Frenchman wil never readily steep in before any woman of faschion 1682 Fountainhall Decis. I 194.
He ran up the stair and stept in at a wrong door, where there was no lofting and so fell thro' to the lower storyfig. 1666-74 Fraser Polichron. 178.
So she might get the ball at her own foot, and her friends to rule the rost, and step in to be tutors to Simon

g. To step on, to continue. 1666-7 Blakhall Narr. 164.
Seing no other cours to be taken but to go forward, I staped on slowly

h. To step on syde, aside, also, out of God's way, to step aside; also fig., to err, go astray. 1460 Hay Alex. 2785.
Thai mycht nocht sa littill step on syde Bot thai suld fall into thai wanis wydefig. 1653 Binning Wks. 149.
Who is he that doth not often step aside out of the way, and follow the conduct and counsel of flesh and blood? 1685-8 Renwick Serm. 80.
Follow no man implicitely, lest, when he steps aside, ye be made to stumble 1685-8 Renwick Serm. 186.
Men or women that step aside from duty(b) a1681 Cargill Lecture and Sermon 3.
The goodness of God does not always leave man when he staps out of Gods way

i. To step over, to cross, traverse by stepping, also transf. c1500 Interl. Droich 78.
Or he of aige was ȝeiris thre, He wald step over the occiane sie 1600 Crim. Trials II 196.
My lord … stap ower the Maister and pas wp the Blak turnepyktransf. a1676 Guthry Mem. 296.
Shortly after he stept over into Holland

j. To step to, to approach, step up to. Also fig. 1600-1610 Melvill 660.
‘Ane coppie of the quhilk wrangis we are earnestlie desyrit by thame to present to your Majestie’ and this said, he stoppit to, and delyverit thame in the kingis handisfig. a1658 Durham Comm. Rev. 92.
Suppose he had the theorie of ecclesiastick things, and skill in them, yet he might not step to himself, to act the acts of a ministeriall function

k. fig. To step up, ? to ascend (to heaven). ?a1500 Obsecro 55.
Throu vertu of his passioun, His blissit resurrectioun, He steppit vp

l. To step upon, to place one's foot on (something) in the process of taking a step. 1644 Shetland Witch Trial in Hibbert Shetland Islands 595.
He going down and stepping upon a stone which was ever a sure step befoir