treading

[ˈtredɪŋ]
verb (gerund/present participle)
pisando
1. walking on or over something; stepping on
He was treading on the grass carefully.
Ele estava pisando na grama com cuidado.
2. pressing down with the foot or feet
Stop treading on my foot!
Para de pisar no meu pé!
3. moving about or along a surface with steps
The children were treading through the shallow water.
As crianças estavam andando na água rasa.
4. keeping oneself afloat in water by moving feet and legs
The swimmer was treading water to stay afloat.
O nadador estava pedalando na água para se manter flutuando.
5. walking a particular path or course; following a direction
They were treading the ancient pilgrimage route.
Eles estavam seguindo a antiga rota de peregrinação.
In Brazilian Portuguese, 'pisar' is the standard term for treading. The phrase 'treading water' has become metaphorically important in both English and Portuguese contexts to describe situations where one is stuck or making no progress. In water sports and swimming contexts, this term is widely recognized across both cultures.
Synonyms / Sinônimos
steppingwalkingtramplingpressingpadding
Antonyms / Antônimos
risingliftingfloating

Regional Variations

General Brazilian
pisando
most common usage across Brazil
Rio de Janeiro
pisando/calcando
regional variation using 'calcando' for pressing down
São Paulo
pisando
standard usage
Portugal
pisando/calcando
Portuguese uses 'pisando' or 'calcando' similar to Brazil

Related Words

treadfootstepsolestepstride

Related Idioms & Phrases

treading on thin ice - estar pisando em gelo fino (in a precarious situation)
treading water - pedalando na água (making no progress, staying in place)
tread lightly - pisar levemente (to be cautious)
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