tread

«tread» in Mova's school dictionary: To walk or step on something, often pressing it down — its meaning for a pupil, its sense in the lessons and examples, with 5 sentences of Mova's corpora that use it.

part of speech

verb (tread, treads, trod, trodden, treading); noun (tread — the way someone walks; a tread — part of a step or tyre)

meaning for a pupil

1) To walk or step on something, often pressing it down. tree →

2) To press or crush something with your feet. tree →

3) (noun) The sound or way someone walks: «a heavy tread». tree →

4) (noun) The pattern of grooves on a tyre or shoe sole that grips the ground. tree →

5) (noun) The flat part of a step on a staircase. tree →

6) «Tread water»: to stay upright in water by moving your legs and arms, without swimming forward. tree →

sense in the lessons

In swimming lessons pupils learn to «tread water» to stay safe. In road safety, tyres need enough tread to grip wet roads. In stories: «tread carefully», «tread softly» show caution. Phrases: «tread on», «tread carefully», «tread water», «tyre tread», «tread on someone's toes».

examples

• Try not to tread on the flowers. tree →
• I trod in a puddle on the way to school. tree →
• We practised treading water in the deep end. tree →
• Grapes were once trodden by feet to make juice. tree →
• We heard a heavy tread on the stairs. tree →
• The tyres had worn tread, so Dad replaced them. tree →
• Tread carefully — the ice is thin. tree →
• (informal) I didn't want to tread on anyone's toes by changing the plan. tree →
• "Then follow me," said Ariadne, "and tread softly." tree →

note

Irregular: tread → trod → trodden (US also «trod» as past participle). «Tread» rhymes with «bed». «Tread on someone's toes» means upset them by doing their job or interfering. Do not mix up «tread» (step) with «treat» or «thread».

In the corpora

• Snakes bite people mostly when they are trodden on, grabbed or cornered.
• Thou shalt not muzzle the ox when he treadeth out the corn.
• And thine enemies shall dwindle away before thee; and thou shalt tread upon their high places.
• Every place that the sole of your foot shall tread upon, to you have I given it, as I spoke unto Moses.
• O my soul, tread them down with strength.

Trees and pragmatics

Every meaning and example of «tread» parsed by Mova, each sentence with its dependency tree and frames.