the grooved surface of a pneumatic tire
"The mechanic told me I needed new tires because the tread was completely worn down from too many winter miles."
the part (as of a wheel or shoe) that makes contact with the ground
"After months of neglect, the tread on my tire was so worn away that I could feel every pothole in the road."
structural member consisting of the horizontal part of a stair or step
"The contractor replaced the rotted tread on the third step to ensure it could support the weight of the furniture being moved up."
A step taken with the foot.
"The wet leaves crunched under every tread of his boots as he walked through the forest."
brace (an archer's bow) by pressing the foot against the center
"He planted his left foot firmly on the string to brace the bow before releasing the arrow."
apply (the tread) to a tire
"The mechanic inspected the worn tires and found they needed new tread applied before hitting the road again."
To step or walk (on or across something); to trample.
"Be careful not to tread on the fragile glass floor while crossing the stage."
The word tread comes from Old English and originally meant to walk or step on something. It has been used in this way since before the Middle English period.