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Glite Dictionary
to step out of someone's way

to step out of someone's way

3.4
Move aside so someone can pass
  • phrasal verb
translation icon : apartarse
  • Could you step out of the way so I can get through the door?

Examples

  • You may step out of my way, if you please.

    The Fifth Musketeer (1979)

  • However, if you'll kindly step out of my way... I'll make your dream a reality.

    Ghost Ship (2002)

  • - Then step out of my way.

    Guilty as Sin (1993)

  • If you want me out of the way, I'll step out of the way.

    The Burglar (1957)

  • Would you mind stepping out of the way?

    The Prince of Tides (1991)

  • Ethan, I need you to step out of the way, please.

    The One I Love (2014)

  • White men stepped out of Black Amos's way.

    Fiction book (1992)

  • Buck wished Walkie-Talkie would disappear too, but he merely stepped out of Rayford's way and pointed him toward his partner, the one with the phone.

    Fiction book (1998)

  • When the parade began, everyone was asked to step out of the way to allow the floats to pass.

  • She quickly stepped out of the way to avoid being tripped by the runner.

Synonyms

to step aside
vsto step out of someone's way
129 3.4

Move out of the way or leave a job so someone else can take it

means clearing a path for someone to pass rather than leaving a role
to make way
vsto step out of someone's way
57 2.3

Move aside to let a person or vehicle pass

is limited to clearing room so a person can pass without blockage

Antonyms

to block
∞ 3.0

To stop movement, access, or progress

to stay in place
10 1.5

Not move from a place

How Far

to pull away
86 3.5
to step out of someone's way
3.4
to step aside
129 3.4
to move over
61 1.6

Surface Forms

step out of someone's way infinitive
stepped out of someone's way past
stepped out of someone's way past participle
stepping out of someone's way present participle
steps out of someone's way third person singular

Morphology

step + out + of + someone's + way

The meaning 'to move aside so that someone can pass' is directly derivable from combining 'step' (move by foot) + 'out of' (away from) + 'someone's way' (their path). This is a straightforward spatial/motion composition that is cross-linguistically common, so an average B1 learner who knows the constituent words should understand it.

Etymology

The phrasal verb step out of someone's way comes from the simple image of moving to the side so another person can pass; you literally step out of their way. That's why it means 'to move aside' and let someone go through.