TREAD Copy link • TREAD 1. v. pede insistere. To tread firmly, firmiter insistere: to tread softly, placido, suspenso pede incedere; suspenso gradu ire (PROP., in walking): parce ac molliter facere (figuratively, to go cautiously to work): lenius agere (to make use of gentle means; opposed to acerbius agere, as in Liv., 39, 25): to tread upon, pedem alicui rei imponere; alicui rei insistere; pedem ponere in aliqua re (Cic.): to tread under foot, calcare (PROP. and figuratively) [Vid: also, TRAMPLE.] To tread grapes, uvas calcare (Cato): to tread clay, terram argillaceam calcando praeparare: to tread in the footsteps of another, vestigia alicujus persequi; vestigiis alicujus ingredi, insistere; aliquem vestigiis consequi. (Of birds), calcare (Col.). 2. s. vestigium (footstep, mark or impression of the foot: also a step).