Longman Dictionary of Contemporary English homepage

step

2 verb
     
step2 W3 past tense and past participle stepped, present participle stepping [intransitive always + adverb/preposition]
1 to raise one foot and put it down in front of or behind the other one in order to walk or move
step forward/back/down/into etc
He stepped back to let me through.
I stepped outside and closed the door.
Mr. Ives? Please step this way (=walk in the direction I am showing you).
2 to bring your foot down on something [= tread British English]
step in/on etc
I accidentally stepped in a puddle.
You're stepping on my foot.
3

step on somebody's toes

to offend or upset someone, especially by trying to do their work:
I'm not worried about stepping on anybody's toes.
4

step out of line

to behave badly by breaking rules or disobeying orders
5

step on it

also step on the gas American English spoken to drive faster

➔ step into the breach

at breach1 (7)

step down

phrasal verb
to leave your job or official position, because you want to or because you think you should:
Morris should step aside until the investigation is completed.
step down as
Eve Johnson has stepped down as chairperson.
step down from
He was forced to step down from his post.

step forward

phrasal verb
to come and offer help, information etc:
Police are appealing for witnesses to step forward.

step in

phrasal verb
to become involved in an activity, discussion, or disagreement, sometimes in order to stop trouble [= intervene]:
The military may step in if the crisis continues.
Parents have stepped in to provide homework help in the afternoon program.

step into something

phrasal verb
to start doing something, or become involved in a situation:
Sally stepped into the role of team leader.

step out

phrasal verb
to leave your home or office for a short time [= pop out British English]
She's just stepped out for a few minutes.

step something ↔ up

phrasal verb
to increase the amount of an activity or the speed of a process in order to improve a situation:
The health department is stepping up efforts to reduce teenage smoking.
stepped-up security at airports
Definition from the Longman Dictionary of Contemporary English
Advanced Learner's Dictionary.

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