STE ( 856 ) S T E

is necessary when a temporary exertionin line and to the front, is required;and is applied both to the ordinary andquick time.

These phrases are frequently used inmilitary movements, when it is foundnecessary to gain ground in front, .or togive the rear of a column, tune toacquire its proper distance. The officerwho leads a head division, should beparticularly attentive, when he is or-dered to step out, or step short, espe-cially in the different wheelings, not tolose the precise moment when eithermay be thought expedient; and inmarching in open column, every succes-sive oflicer should watch the seasonablemoment, alter a wheel, of preserv ing hisrelative distance.

To Step off] in a military sense, totake a prescribed pace from a haltedposition, in ordinary or quick time, inconformity to some given word of com-mand or signal.

Balancing Step, (pas d'tcole , Fr.) astep so called from the body being ba-lanced upon one leg, in order to renderit firm and steady in military move-ments, &c. Men at the drill should befrequently exercised in this step.

Deploy Step; Lock Step, (pas dejnaruFUvre, Fr.) See Lock.

The side or closing Step, (pas de cote ,ou pas serve , Fr.) a step which is takenin order to gain ground to the rightor left, without altering the front ofthe battalion, or of closing it to itscenter, whenever a chasm occurs in theline after it has wheeled from the column,&c. According to the Regulations, thisstep is performed from the halt, in or-dinary time, by the following words ofcommand

Close to the Right — March, (Ap-piuyez a la droite , Fr.)

Close to the Left —March, (Appuyeza la gauche , Fr.)

Back Step, (pas en arriere, Fr.) astep taken to the rear from any positionwithout any change of aspect. Accord-ing to the Regulations, the back step isperformed in the ordinary time andlength of pace, from the halt, on agiven word of command. It will begenerally recollected, that a few pacesonly of the back step can be necessaryat a time.

Step hack , March , (enarriere , marche ,Fr.) a word of command which is given

when one or more men are ordered totake the back step according to theregulation.

Quick Step, (pas accelerejTr.) a mi-litary step consisting of 30 inches, (ofwhich 308 are to be taken in a minute,making 270 feet in a minute,) which con-stitutes what is technically called tjuicktime in marching.

Quickest Step, (pas precipitc, Fr.) astep measuring 30 inches, and of which120, making 300 feet, may be taken ina minute.

This step is applied chiefly to thepurpose of wheeling, and is the rate atwhich all bodies accomplish theirwbeels;the outward file stepping 33 indies, whe-ther the wheel is from line into column,during the inarch in column, or fromcolumn into line. In this time also, andby this step, should divisions double,and move np, when they pass obstaclesin line; or when in the column ofinarch, the front, of divisions is in-creased, or diminished.

To Step between , to interfere.

To Step forth or forward, to take anactive part in any thing. Thus, whenthe circle was formed, the grenadiersstepped fbi'ward to beg off their comrade,&c. The oilicers stepped forward, andremonstrated against their colonel.

Step is likewise figuratively used tosignify promotion. As, the next stepfrom a lieutenancy is a troop or com-pany, and from that to a majority; ex-cept in the Guards, who have the exclu-sive privilege of going over this inter-mediate rank, and stepping into a lieu-tenant-colonelcy at once. The Engi-neers enjoy the same privilege.

To Step over , to rise above another.This term is generally used in a badsense. As, young men of interest andconnection frequently step over old sol-diers.

Step, (echelon , Fr.) According to theTranslator of Rules and Regulations forthe held exercise and manoeuvres of theFrench infantry, echelon means, in afigurative sense, what we understand bystep in military promotion. See Grades Militaires in the Nouveau DictionnairBMilitaire , by A. T. Gaigne.

Step and Leap is one of the sevenairs, or artificial motions of a horse,being as it were three airs.

The step puts the horse upon the hand,and gives him a rise to leap, like unto