Stomp

Part of speech: verb

Pronunciation: /stɒmp/

Definitions

1. To hit the ground with a heavy step using the foot ; to move in a loud, heavy manner while walking ; to overpower or win against someone decisively
2. To forcefully press the foot down onto a surface ; to proceed with weighty, noisy footsteps ; to crush or defeat an opponent completely
3. To bring the foot down hard on the floor or earth ; to make a loud, heavy walking sound ; to assert dominance through a convincing victory

Etymology: "Stomp" is a variant of "stamp" that first appeared in 1803, and it has held onto the heavy, noisy sense of stamping the foot. The clearest sign of its closeness to "stamp" is that the two words still differ mainly in spelling and in the rhythm of how they are said, with "stomp" carrying a little more bounce. The word has a German cousin: "stampfen" means "to stamp" or "to stomp," and the resemblance between the two languages reflects their shared Germanic ancestry rather than any direct borrowing. English speakers reached for this vowel when they wanted a sound that was louder and more lumbering than a simple tap of the foot.

Synonyms: trample, stamp, crush, pound, thump

Antonyms: tiptoe, tread lightly, gentle step