to watch your step
63
3.7
- idiom
:
tener cuidado
- 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
979
1.0
Take care to avoid danger or getting hurt
582
3.0
To be careful to avoid danger or trouble
168
1.8
To be careful to avoid danger
136
4.1
Be careful and watch for danger
85
5.6
Be careful to avoid danger or upsetting someone
25
3.6
Do things to avoid harm or danger
11
6.2
Pay careful attention to advice or warnings
9
5.6
To act carefully to avoid hurting feelings or making mistakes
6
3.9
Act carefully to avoid mistakes, danger, or upsetting others
6
9.9
Be very careful because you could get into trouble
1
6.3
To stay alert and ready for anything that might happen
Alert and ready to deal with danger or problems
Antonyms
How Careful
63
3.7
979
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.