| step | 1. In dentistry, a dove-tailed or similarly shaped projection of a cavity prepared in a tooth into a surface perpendicular to the main part of the cavity for the purpose of preventing displacement of the restoration (filling) by the force of mastication. 2. A change in direction resembling a stair-step in a line, a surface, or the construction of a solid body. 3. 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. 4. 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. (11 Feb 2000) |
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| one-step procedure | A procedure in which a surgical biopsy is performed under general anesthesia and if cancer is found, a mastectomy or lumpectomy is done immediately as part of the same operation. (09 Oct 1997) |
| elementary step | <chemistry> Reaction mechanisms are broken down into elementary steps. For each step the the reactants are directly involved in forming the transition state. Therefore a rate law can be written from an elementary step but not from an overall reaction. (09 Jan 1998) |
| two-step exercise test | A test used mainly for coronary insufficiency; significant depression of RS-T in the electrocardiogram is considered abnormal and suggests coronary insufficiency. (05 Mar 2000) |
| two-step procedure | <surgery> When surgical biopsy and breast surgery are performed in two separate surgeries. (09 Oct 1997) |
| unimolecular step | <chemistry> A reaction involving one species (09 Jan 1998) |
| lock step | A mode of marching by a body of men going one after another as closely as possible, in which the leg of each moves at the same time with the corresponding leg of the person before him. Source: Websters Dictionary (01 Mar 1998) |