1. A way or sound of walking or stepping: "Leanne could not help but hear the heavy tread of the marching feet of the soldiers as they marched by her house on the military base."
2. The horizontal part of a step in a staircase: "Margo tread softly up the stairway so she wouldn't disturb her napping baby."
3. The part of the surface of a tire or wheel that comes in contact with a road or rail: "The hit and run car left tire treads in the mud."
4. The depth of grooves on the surface of a tire: "The treads of the tires were badly worn."
5. That part of the sole of a shoe, or boot, that touches the ground: "Her running shoes had good treads."

1. To trample on something: to step or put a foot on something, especially so as to crush or to damage it: Mother said, "Maxwell, please don't tread on the grass."

Later, tired and weary, the group trod back to camp.

2. To take a step or steps, or walk or step on, across, or along something: James has gone where others fear to tread.

The boys trod on the newly planted flowers in Marcy's yard.

3. To form something, such as, a path by trampling or walking: Janet can see that countless footsteps have been trodden to her door.

Dr. Livingstone visited parts of Africa where the foot of a white man had never trod before.

Look where the rabbits have trodden out a path in the snow.

4. To proceed or to behave in a particular way: The opposition realized that it would have to tread carefully against the other political party.
5. To repress or to treat someone or something harshly: Joshua was treading on Carol's feelings and her little son, Jimmy, sometimes tread on her toes.
6. Etymology: Old English tredan, from Proto-Germanic tredanan.

The noun is recorded from about 1225, from the verb; in reference to automobile tires, it is recorded from 1906.

1. To keep an upright position in deep water by moving the feet with a walking movement and the hands with a downward circular motion: Sam was treading water as a form of exercise.
2. Failing to advance or to make progress: There are some people who are treading water as they struggle to survive without jobs in these bad economic times.