to step on
23
6.7
- phrasal verb
- /stɛp ɑn/
- Informal
:
pisotear
- I'm not so weak that I need to step on them to rise higher.
- step on toes
- step on people
- guy who steps on
So in a way, this feels like it's kind of stepping on my neck.
- So in a way, this feels like it's kind of stepping on my neck.
- And why can't we reward companies who do great things but don't have to step on people, even if they're a little bit less successful?
- Ultimately, he was stepping on too many toes, and some of those toes wore boots.
- Like, you know as well, I would never, ever, ever try and step on Raheem's toes.
- Assertiveness is when someone acts in a way to protect their own rights, but they do it without stepping on anyone else's rights.
- People are afraid, oh, if I step on this person's toes, we won't get to have our reporter there.
- And then maybe I'll tell two guys, let's take this guy out next week if if we feel you're stepping on our toes.
- And so then you can course correct and say, oh, I can now honor this value instead of having it stepped on.
- And when you have that, you can think about how you can help somebody else and not get stepped on.
- Not trying to step on toes, not trying to burn bridges.
- Yeah, but let me add to that too, because like so many people, look, I have no problem stepping on your throat.
Examples
-
Are they stepping on your toes?
-
But one day maybe you'll learn that being smart and doing whatever you need to do to get ahead and, yes, stepping on other people to get there, well, there's a whole lot more to life than that.
-
But they know they big, trying to step on the small man.
-
So in a way, this feels like it's kind of stepping on my neck.
-
The giants always step on the little people.
-
You step on my back, Catherine will step on yours.
-
We're all in this together, and you only need to apologize if you step on somebody's toes.
Fiction book (1992) -
You're not stepping on any toes by having a Halloween fundraiser.
Blog text (15) -
And why can't we reward companies who do great things but don't have to step on people, even if they're a little bit less successful?
-
In order to climb the corporate ladder, he believed he had to step on others to get ahead.
Synonyms
344
3.7
To treat a person or animal cruelly to harm them
63
2.9
To be cruel to people or animals
3
7.2
Treat someone badly by using them and ignoring their feelings
3
7.4
To be cruel to a person or animal
To treat someone badly by ignoring their needs and using them
To attack or criticize someone who is already in trouble
To treat people or animals badly and unfairly
Behave towards a person or animal in a cruel, unfair way
Antonyms
How Cruel
152
6.5
- NSFW
344
3.7
214
5.6
- Informal
23
6.7
- Informal
7
4.2
7
6.3
Surface Forms
Morphology
step + on
The figurative sense 'to treat someone badly / hurt their feelings' is a metaphorical extension of the literal action of putting a foot on someone or something, so a learner who knows 'step' and 'on' can plausibly infer a harming/pressing meaning. However, the specific pragmatic nuance of asserting power or gaining advantage and the idiomatic usage in contexts is not fully predictable without prior exposure, so it is only partially transparent.
Etymology
The verb step on in this sense comes from the image of using someone as a step: you step and press on a person to push them down or climb up. So it means 'to treat someone badly, especially to gain an advantage'.