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Resembling a ladder; formed with steps. [Obs.] Sir T. Browne.

A ladder; a series of steps; a means of ascending. [Obs.]

To mount by steps; to go through with step by step. [Obs.] Nor stayed till she the highest stage had scand. Spenser.

tone (Mus.), the major seventh note of any scale; -- so called because, being but a half step below the octave, or key tone, and naturally leading up to that, it makes the ear sensible of its approaching sound. Called also the leading tone. -- Sensible horizon. See Horizon, n., 2. (a).

lling by the regular diatonic degrees in the same scale; a succession of similar harmonic steps.

A place made lower than the rest; a wide step or platform lower than some other part. And from the bottom upon the ground, even to the lower settle, shall be two cubits, and the breadth one cubit. Ezek. xliii. 14. Settle bed, a bed convertible into a seat. [Eng.]

The part of the sole beneath the instep connecting the broader front part with the heel.

Raised a semitone in pitch; as, C sharp (C#), which is a half step, or semitone, higher than C.

An apparatus for raising heavy weights, and especially for stepping and unstepping the lower masts of ships. It consists of two or more spars or pieces of timber, fastened together near the top, steadied by a guy or guys, and furnished with the necessary tackle. [Written also sheers.]

e, rope, or the like, by embracing it alternately with the arms and legs, without help of steps, spurs, or the like; -- used with up; as, to shin up a mast. [Slang]

o gather together; to become compacted. And on a broken reed he still did stay His feeble steps, which shrunk when hard thereon he lay. Spenser. I have not found that water, by mixture of ashes, will shrink or draw into less room. Bacon. Against this fire do I shrink up. Shak. And shrink like parchment in consuming fir…

Moving with a dragging, scraping step. "A shuffling nag." Shak.

f the Human Mind;" but that is a mere skit compared with this strange performance. Leslie Stephen.

To move along the surface of a thing without bounding, rolling, or stepping; to slide; to glide.

Sly; cunning; insinuating; deceitful. So to the coast of Jordan he directs His easy steps, girded with snaky wiles. Milton.

es the bottom. The "caliga" was a military shoe, with a very thick sole, tied above the instep. Arbuthnot.

To move with a quick, lively step between a trot and gallop; to move quickly. Thackeray.

ces of the case. Daniell. -- Special issue (Law), an issue produced upon a special plea. Stephen. -- Special jury (Law), a jury consisting of persons of some particular calling, station, or qualification, which is called upon motion of either party when the cause is supposed to require it; a struck jury. -- Special…

ng small objects, for polishing, etc.; a hand lathe. -- Speed pulley, a cone pulley with steps.

aving the qualities of, or pertaining to, a spring; elastic; as, springy steel; a springy step. Though her little frame was slight, it was firm and springy. Sir W. Scott.