Part 782

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

12. (Mus.) The intervak between two contiguous degrees of the csale.

The word tone is often used as the name of this interval; but there is evident incongruity in using tone for indicating the interval between tones. As the word scale is derived from the Italian scala, a ladder, the intervals may well be called steps.

13. (Kinematics) A change of position effected by a motion of translation. W. K. Clifford.

Back step, Half step, etc. See under Back, Half, etc. -- Step grate, a form of grate for holding fuel, in which the bars rise above one another in the manner of steps. -- To take steps, to take action; to move in a matter.

Step-. [AS. steóp-; akin to OFries. stiap-, stiep-, D. & G. stief-, OHG. stiuf- , Icel. stj&?;p-, Sw. styf-, and to AS. stpan, steópan, to deprive, bereave, as children of their parents, OHG. stiufen.] A prefix used before father, mother, brother, sister, son, daughter, child, etc., to indicate that the person thus spoken of is not a blood relative, but is a relative by the marriage of a parent; as, a stepmother to X is the wife of the father of X, married by him after the death of the mother of X. See Stepchild, Stepdaughter, Stepson, etc.

Step"broth`er (?), n. A brother by the marriage of one's father with the mother of another, or of one's mother with the father of another.

Step"child` (?), n. [AS. steópcild.] 1. A bereaved child; one who has lost father or mother. [Obs.]

2. A son or daughter of one's wife or husband by a former marriage.

Step"dame` (?), n. A stepmother. Spenser.

Step"daugh`ter (?), n. [AS. steópdohtor.] A daughter of one's wife or husband by a former marriage.

Step"fa`ther (?), n. [AS. steópfæder.] The husband of one's mother by a subsequent marriage.

Ste*pha"ni*on (?), n. [NL., from Gr. &?; a crown.] (Anat.) The point on the side of the skull where the temporal line, or upper edge of the temporal fossa, crosses the coronal suture.

Steph"an*ite (?), n. [So named after the Archduke Stephan, mining director of Austria.] (Min.) A sulphide of antimony and silver of an iron-black color and metallic luster; called also black silver, and brittle silver ore.

||Steph`a*no"tis (?), n. [NL., fr. Gr. &?; fit for a crown, fr. &?; ||crown.] 1. (Bot.) A genus of climbing asclepiadaceous shrubs, of ||Madagascar, Malaya, etc. They have fleshy or coriaceous opposite ||leaves, and large white waxy flowers in cymes.

2. A perfume said to be prepared from the flowers of Stephanotis floribunda.

Step"lad`der (?), n. A portable set of steps.

Step"moth`er (?), n. [AS. steópmder.] The wife of one's father by a subsequent marriage.

Step"par`ent (?), n. Stepfather or stepmother.

Steppe (?), n. [From Russ. stepe, through G. or F. steppe.] One of the vast plains in Southeastern Europe and in Asia, generally elevated, and free from wood, analogous to many of the prairies in Western North America. See Savanna.

Steppe murrain. (Far.) See Rinderpest.

Stepped (?), a. Provided with a step or steps; having a series of offsets or parts resembling the steps of stairs; as, a stepped key.

Stepped gear, a cogwheel of which the teeth cross the face in a series of steps.

Step"per (?), n. One who, or that which, steps; as, a quick stepper.

Step"ping-stone` (?), n. 1. A stone to raise the feet above the surface of water or mud in walking.

2. Fig.: A means of progress or advancement.

These obstacles his genius had turned into stepping- stones.

Macaulay.