tread

B2 Topic:Actions & Processes

US /tɹɛd/ See IPA manual

Minimal pairs

Sounds like thread /θ/ vs /t/

Freq #9852

Meanings

1

verb
To step or walk, especially carefully or on a particular surface.

Be careful where you tread, the floor is wet.
2

verb
To behave or proceed in a certain way.

He had to tread carefully when discussing the layoffs.
3

verb
To press or crush something with the feet.

Workers traditionally tread the grapes to make wine.

Verb forms

Verb forms are not available for this word yet.

Multiword verbs with tread

tread on Prepositional verb B2

to put a foot on something

Thesaurus

Synonyms

1 verb · to step or walk, especially... step

Opposites

rise riser

Word family

Forms treadingtreadstrodtroddentrodeuntrodden

Derived forms betreaddowntroddenretread toestread-lightlytread-softlytreadleuntrodupon

Related forms trade

Appears in

Phrases (1)

See all

tread on
to put a foot on something

Verb + preposition/particle

Idioms (2)

See all

the worm has turned
Matching variant: Tread on a worm and it will turn

someone previously submissive has begun resisting their mistreatment
tread the boards
to pursue a career performing on the theater stage

Proverbs (1)

See all

Fools rush in where angels fear to tread

Simplified etymology

Tread is an Old English word related to trade. Trade came from German and originally meant “a track or way,” but the source gives no fuller account of tread’s own earlier derivation or semantic development.

Etymology

From Middle English treden, from Old English tredan, from Proto-West Germanic *tredan, from Proto-Germanic *trudaną.

treden Middle English tredan Old English *tredan Proto-West Germanic *trudaną Proto-Germanic

View etymology graph ->

Topics

Actions & Processes

External links

# tread

**Type:** Word
**Level:** B2
**Part of speech:** verb
**IPA (US):** /tɹɛd/
**Frequency rank:** 9852

## Meanings
1. To step or walk, especially carefully or on a particular surface.
2. To behave or proceed in a certain way.
3. To press or crush something with the feet.

## Examples
- Be careful where you tread, the floor is wet.
- He had to tread carefully when discussing the layoffs.
- Workers traditionally tread the grapes to make wine.

## Antonyms
- rise
- riser

## Derived Forms
- betread
- downtrodden
- retread
- toes
- tread-lightly
- tread-softly
- treadle
- untrod
- upon

## Related Forms
- trade

## Roots and Affixes
- Root: treden
- Root: tredan
- Root: *tredan
- Root: *trudaną

## Etymology
From Middle English treden, from Old English tredan, from Proto-West Germanic *tredan, from Proto-Germanic *trudaną.

## AI Etymology
Tread is from Middle English treden, from Old English tredan, from Proto-West Germanic *tredan, from Proto-Germanic *trudaną. The historical line also includes Middle English treden, Old English tredan, Proto-West Germanic *tredan, Proto-Germanic *trudaną. In present-day use, it can mean to step or walk, especially carefully or on a particular surface, or to behave or proceed in a certain way. Derived formations include betread, downtrodden, retread, toes, tread-lightly, tread-softly, treadle, untrod.

## Topics
- Actions & Processes

markdown

tread

Meanings

Verb forms

Multiword verbs with tread

Thesaurus

Appears in

Phrases (1)

Idioms (2)

Proverbs (1)

Simplified etymology

Etymology

Topics

External links

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