to watch your step
54
3.7
- idiom
- Please watch your step as you walk along the rocky path.
- Please watch your step
- Watch your step here
- Watch your step, he warned
Examples
-
So everyone, please watch your step.
Blog text (2) -
Please watch your step.
-
Okay, oh, just watch your step here.
-
All right, just watch your step there.
-
We better watch our step.
-
You should watch your step.
Fiction book (2000) -
I had to watch my step.
Fiction book (1993) -
Best you can do is watch your step.
Blog text (15) -
And watch your step, please.
Fiction book (1990) -
The whole place is a death trap; you really have to watch your step.
Fiction book (1996)
Synonyms
∞
1.0
Take care to avoid danger or getting hurt
498
3.0
To be careful to avoid danger or trouble
236
5.6
Be careful to avoid danger or upsetting someone
199
1.8
To be careful to avoid danger
149
4.1
Be careful and watch for danger
82
3.6
Do things to avoid harm or danger
13
5.6
To act carefully to avoid hurting feelings or making mistakes
13
9.9
Be very careful because you could get into trouble
12
6.2
Pay careful attention to advice or warnings
9
3.9
Act carefully to avoid mistakes, danger, or upsetting others
1
4.7
Alert and ready to deal with danger or problems
To stay alert and ready for anything that might happen
Antonyms
How Careful
54
3.7
∞
1.0
Surface Forms
Morphology
The meaning 'be careful' is directly and compositionally derived from 'watch' (be attentive) + 'your' + 'step' (where you place your foot); it literally warns someone to look at their stepping, so the sense follows from the parts. This cautionary use is common in English and mirrored in many languages, so a B1 learner who knows the constituent words will very likely understand the intended meaning.
Etymology
Watch your step comes from the simple warning you see near stairs or a wet floor: you must watch your step and look at where you put your feet so you do not fall. That's why it now also means 'be careful' in what you do or say.