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Gamboler Posted 7 years ago
Vocabulary

The meaning of stepping in this sentence

USA movie, 1936.

General Hospital. Night shitf. Nurse Keats is on duty. She enters the room of one of her patients. She is surprised to see that Dr. Coates is in there. The dialogue is:

Nurse: Oh, you not stepping, Dr. Coates?
Doctor: Well, if you call being at the dinner of the International Obstetrical Association stepping, then I have. Oh, by the way, I want 302 to have cold compresses every half-hour tonight.

Does "stepping" here mean "to take a walk", maybe "have a day off", maybe "go dancing" or is it something else?

  

Top answer

I think you misheard what was said. I initially wondered if the word was ' schlepping ', used as slang tor having ***, but now I'm not so sure. Is there some way you can record what is said, for us to listen to?

— Clive

  • I think you misheard what was said.
  • I initially wondered if the word was ' schlepping ', used as slang tor having ***, but now I'm not so sure.
  • Is there some way you can record what is said, for us to listen to?
  • Clive
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3 Answers
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I think you misheard what was said.

I initially wondered if the word was 'schlepping', used as slang tor having ***, but now I'm not so sure.

Is there some way you can record what is said, for us to listen to?

Clive

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This is 1936 and many expressions that were used then have gone out of fashion today. "Stepping" back then apparently was readily understood to mean, "stepping out," that is, go out and have fun, as on a Friday night. I'll bet this takes place on Friday night.

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Also, the nurse's line is:


"Oh, you're not stepping, Dr. Cole?" I hear Cole rather than Coates. The sentence: "Oh, you not stepping, Dr. Cole?" has entirely different connotations.

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