خَطْوَةٌ

A step, or pace, as meaning a single act of stepping or pacing or walking: (JK, S, K, Msb:) plural [of pauc.] خَطَوَاتٌ (S, Msb, K) and [of mult.] خِطَاءٌ. (S.) Imra-el-Keys says,

لَهَا وَثَبَاتٌ كَوَثْبِ الشِّبَاءِ

فَوَادٍ خِطَاءٌ وَوَادٍ مَطِرْ

[She has bounds like the bounding of gazelles; and a valley is stepped over by her with leisurely steps, and a valley is trampled over by her rapidly as though it were rained upon]: (S:) i. e., one time she steps, and refrains from running; and one time she runs with a running resembling rain: but AO relates it otherwise, saying, فَوَادٍ خَطِيطٌ [lit. and a valley is not rained upon]: and some substitute كَصَوْبِ الخَرِيفِ [like the pouring rain of the autumn]. (IB, TA.) [See also what next follows.]