Level vs. Step — What's the Difference?

A horizontal plane or line with respect to the distance above or below a given point

The single complete movement of raising one foot and putting it down in another spot, as in walking.

A position on a scale of amount, quantity, extent, or quality

A manner of walking; a particular gait.

(in a video game) each of a series of stages of increasing difficulty through which a player may progress, completing one stage in order to reach the next

A fixed rhythm or pace, as in marching

An instrument marked with a line parallel to the plane of the horizon for testing whether things are horizontal.

The sound of a footstep.

A flat tract of land

A footprint

Having a flat, horizontal surface

The distance traversed by moving one foot ahead of the other.

At the same height as someone or something else

A very short distance

Having the same relative position; not in front of or behind

Steps Course; path

Calm and steady

One of a series of rhythmical, patterned movements of the feet used in a dance

Give a flat and even surface to

A rest for the foot in ascending or descending.

Begin to fly horizontally after climbing or diving

Steps Stairs.

Make (something, especially a score in sport) equal or similar

Something, such as a ledge or an offset, that resembles a step of a stairway.

Aim (a weapon)

A low platform used for exercise, as in step aerobics.

Be frank or honest with (someone)

One of a series of actions, processes, or measures taken to achieve a goal.

Ascertain differences in the height of (land).

A stage in a process

Relative position or rank on a scale

A degree in progress or a grade or rank in a scale

A relative degree, as of achievement, intensity, or concentration

The interval that separates two successive tones of a scale, especially a major second, as between C and D in the scale of C major.

A natural or proper position, place, or stage

A degree of a scale.

Position along a vertical axis; height or depth

(Nautical) The block in which the heel of a mast is fixed.

A horizontal line or plane at right angles to the plumb.

To put or press the foot

The position or height of such a line or plane.

To shift or move slightly by taking a step or two

A flat, horizontal surface.

To walk a short distance to a specified place or in a specified direction

A land area of uniform elevation.

To move with the feet in a particular manner

An instrument for ascertaining whether a surface is horizontal, vertical, or at a 45° angle, consisting essentially of an encased, liquid-filled tube containing an air bubble that moves to a center window when the instrument is set on an even plane. Also called spirit level.

To move into a new situation by or as if by taking a single step

Such a device combined with a telescope and used in surveying.

To treat someone with arrogant indifference

A computation of the difference in elevation between two points by using such a device.

To put or set (the foot) down

Having a flat, smooth surface

To measure by pacing

Being on a horizontal plane

To furnish with steps; make steps in

Being at the same height or position as another; even.

(Computers) To cause (a computer) to execute a single instruction.

Being at the same degree of rank, standing, or advantage as another; equal.

(Nautical) To place (a mast) in its step.

Being or relating to a specified rank or standing. Often used in combination

An advance or movement made from one foot to the other; a pace.

Exhibiting no abrupt variations; steady

A rest, or one of a set of rests, for the foot in ascending or descending, as a stair, or a rung of a ladder.

Rational and balanced; sensible

The part of a spade, digging stick or similar tool that a digger's foot rests against and presses on when digging; an ear, a foot-rest.

Filled evenly to the top

A distinct part of a process; stage; phase.

To make horizontal, flat, or even

A running board where passengers step to get on and off the bus.

To place on the same rank; equalize.

The space passed over by one movement of the foot in walking or running.

To tear down (a building, for example); raze.

A small space or distance.

To knock down, as with a blow; lay low

A print of the foot; a footstep; a footprint; track.

To aim along a horizontal plane

A gait; manner of walking.

To direct emphatically or forcefully toward someone

Proceeding; measure; action; act.

To measure the different elevations of (a tract of land) with a level.

(in the plural) A walk; passage.

To bring persons or things to an equal level; equalize.

(in the plural) A portable framework of stairs, much used indoors in reaching to a high position.

To aim a weapon horizontally.

(nautical) A framing in wood or iron which is intended to receive an upright shaft; specifically, a block of wood, or a solid platform upon the keelson, supporting the heel of the mast.

(Informal) To be frank and open

(machines) One of a series of offsets, or parts, resembling the steps of stairs, as one of the series of parts of a cone pulley on which the belt runs.

Along a flat or even line or plane.

(machines) A bearing in which the lower extremity of a spindle or a vertical shaft revolves.

The same height at all places; parallel to a flat ground.

(music) The interval between two contiguous degrees of the scale.

At the same height as some reference; constructed as level with.

(kinematics) A change of position effected by a motion of translation.

Unvaried in frequency.

(programming) A constant difference between consecutive values in a series.

Unvaried in volume.

(colloquial) A stepchild.

Calm.

(slang) A stepsibling.

In the same position or rank.

(intransitive) 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.

Straightforward; direct; clear.

(intransitive) To walk; to go on foot; especially, to walk a little distance.

Well balanced; even; just; steady; impartial.

(intransitive) To walk slowly, gravely, or resolutely.

(phonetics) Of even tone; without rising or falling inflection; monotonic.

To dance.

(physics) Perpendicular to a gravitational force.

To move mentally; to go in imagination.

A tool for finding whether a surface is level, or for creating a horizontal or vertical line of reference.

(transitive) To set, as the foot.

A distance relative to a given reference elevation.

To fix the foot of (a mast) in its step; to erect.

Degree or amount.

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.

Achievement or qualification.

To walk; to go on foot; esp., to walk a little distance; as, to step to one of the neighbors.

(computer science) Distance from the root node of a tree structure.

To walk slowly, gravely, or resolutely.

(video games) One of several discrete segments of a game, generally increasing in difficulty and representing different locations in the game world.

Fig.: To move mentally; to go in imagination.

A numeric value that quantifies a character, ability, or item's experience and power.

To set, as the foot.

A floor of a multi-storey building.

To fix the foot of (a mast) in its step; to erect.

(British) An area of almost perfectly flat land.

An advance or movement made by one removal of the foot; a pace.

A school grade or year.

A rest, or one of a set of rests, for the foot in ascending or descending, as a stair, or a round of a ladder.

To adjust so as to make as flat or perpendicular to the ground as possible.

The space passed over by one movement of the foot in walking or running; as, one step is generally about three feet, but may be more or less. Used also figuratively of any kind of progress; as, he improved step by step, or by steps.

To destroy by reducing to ground level; to raze.

A small space or distance; as, it is but a step.

To progress to the next level.

A print of the foot; a footstep; a footprint; track.

To aim or direct (a weapon, a stare, an accusation, etc).

Gait; manner of walking; as, the approach of a man is often known by his step.

To direct or impose (a penalty, fine, etc) at or upon (someone).

Proceeding; measure; action; an act.

(sports) To make the score of a game equal.

Walk; passage.

(figurative) To bring to a common level or plane, in respect of rank, condition, character, privilege, etc.

A portable framework of stairs, much used indoors in reaching to a high position.

To adjust or adapt to a certain level.

In general, a framing in wood or iron which is intended to receive an upright shaft; specif., a block of wood, or a solid platform upon the keelson, supporting the heel of the mast.

To speak honestly and openly with.

One of a series of offsets, or parts, resembling the steps of stairs, as one of the series of parts of a cone pulley on which the belt runs.

A line or surface to which, at every point, a vertical or plumb line is perpendicular; a line or surface which is everywhere parallel to the surface of still water; - this is the true level, and is a curve or surface in which all points are equally distant from the center of the earth, or rather would be so if the earth were an exact sphere.

The intervak between two contiguous degrees of the csale.

A horizontal line or plane; that is, a straight line or a plane which is tangent to a true level at a given point and hence parallel to the horizon at that point; - this is the apparent level at the given point.

A change of position effected by a motion of translation.

An approximately horizontal line or surface at a certain degree of altitude, or distance from the center of the earth; as, to climb from the level of the coast to the level of the plateau and then descend to the level of the valley or of the sea.

At Eton College, England, a shallow step dividing the court into an inner and an outer portion.

Hence, figuratively, a certain position, rank, standard, degree, quality, character, etc., conceived of as in one of several planes of different elevation.

Any maneuver made as part of progress toward a goal;

A uniform or average height; a normal plane or altitude; a condition conformable to natural law or which will secure a level surface; as, moving fluids seek a level.

The distance covered by a step;

An instrument by which to find a horizontal line, or adjust something with reference to a horizontal line.

The act of changing location by raising the foot and setting it down;

A horizontal passage, drift, or adit, in a mine.

Support consisting of a place to rest the foot while ascending or descending a stairway;

Even; flat; having no part higher than another; having, or conforming to, the curvature which belongs to the undisturbed liquid parts of the earth's surface; as, a level field; level ground; the level surface of a pond or lake.

Relative position in a graded series;

Coinciding or parallel with the plane of the horizon; horizontal; as, the telescope is now level.

A short distance;

Even with anything else; of the same height; on the same line or plane; on the same footing; of equal importance; - followed by with, sometimes by to.

The sound of a step of someone walking;

Straightforward; direct; clear; open.

A musical interval of two semitones

Well balanced; even; just; steady; impartial; as, a level head; a level understanding. [Colloq.]

A mark of a foot or shoe on a surface;

Of even tone; without rising or falling inflection.

A solid block joined to the beams in which the heel of a ship's mast or capstan is fixed

To make level; to make horizontal; to bring to the condition of a level line or surface; hence, to make flat or even; as, to level a road, a walk, or a garden.

A sequence of foot movements that make up a particular dance;

To bring to a lower level; to overthrow; to topple down; to reduce to a flat surface; to lower.

Shift or move by taking a step;

To bring to a horizontal position, as a gun; hence, to point in taking aim; to aim; to direct.

Put down or press the foot, place the foot;

Figuratively, to bring to a common level or plane, in respect of rank, condition, character, privilege, etc.; as, to level all the ranks and conditions of men.

Cause (a computer) to execute a single command

To adjust or adapt to a certain level; as, to level remarks to the capacity of children.

Treat badly;

To be level; to be on a level with, or on an equality with, something; hence, to accord; to agree; to suit.

Furnish with steps;

To aim a gun, spear, etc., horizontally; hence, to aim or point a weapon in direct line with the mark; fig., to direct the eye, mind, or effort, directly to an object; as, he leveled a gun at the bandit and fired.

Move with one's feet in a specific manner;

A position on a scale of intensity or amount or quality;

Walk a short distance to a specified place or in a specified manner;

A relative position or degree of value in a graded group;

Place (a ship's mast) in its step

A specific identifiable position in a continuum or series or especially in a process;

Measure (distances) by pacing;

Height above ground;

Move or proceed as if by steps into a new situation;

Indicator that establishes the horizontal when a bubble is centered in a tube of liquid

A flat surface at right angles to a plumb line;

Structure consisting of a room or set of rooms comprising a single level of a multilevel building;

An abstract place usually conceived as having depth;

Aim at;

Tear down so as to make flat with the ground;

Make level or straight;

Direct into a position for use;

Talk frankly with; lay it on the line;

Become level or even;

Having a horizontal surface in which no part is higher or lower than another;

Not showing abrupt variations;

Being on a precise horizontal plane;

Oriented at right angles to the plumb;

Of the score in a contest;