What is "to step short"

Step \Step\, v. i. [imp. & p. p. Stepped; p. pr. & vb. n. Stepping.] [AS. st[ae]ppan; akin to OFries. steppa, D. stappen to step, stap a step, OHG. stepfen to step, G. stapfe a footstep, OHG. stapfo, G. stufe a step to step on; cf. Gr. ? to shake about, handle roughly, stamp (?). Cf. Stamp, n. & a.]

1. 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.

2. To walk; to go on foot; esp., to walk a little distance; as, to step to one of the neighbors.

3. To walk slowly, gravely, or resolutely.

   Home the swain retreats, His flock before him stepping to the fold.
   --Thomson.

4. Fig.: To move mentally; to go in imagination. They are stepping almost three thousand years back into the remotest antiquity. --Pope. To step aside, to walk a little distance from the rest; to retire from company. To step forth, to move or come forth. To step in or To step into.

   1. To walk or advance into a place or state, or to advance suddenly in.

      Whosoever then first, after the troubling of the water, stepped in, was made whole of whatsoever disease he had.
      --John v. 4.

   2. To enter for a short time; as, I just stepped into the house.

   3. To obtain possession without trouble; to enter upon easily or suddenly; as, to step into an estate. To step out.

      1. (Mil.) To increase the length, but not the rapidity, of the step, extending it to thirty-tree inches.

      2. To go out for a short distance or a short time.

         To step short (Mil.), to diminish the length or rapidity of the step according to the established rules.