0 past simple and past participle of smoulder
2 If a problem or unpleasant situation smoulders, it continues to exist and may become worse at any time:
The dispute is still smouldering, five years after the negotiations began.
3 If a strong emotion smoulders, it exists, but is prevented from being expressed:
4 A person who smoulders has strong sexual or romantic feelings but does not express them:
We can complete it step by step however long the road is and it can't be completed however short the road is if you don't even mark your footprint.