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overstep

Pronunciation: /ˌəʊvəˈstɛp/

The English word “overstep” has 6 meanings listed here.

verb

  1. To go too far beyond (a limit); especially, to cross boundaries or exceed norms or conventions.
  2. To take a step in which the foot touches ground too far forward.
  3. To move with a gait such that the hind foot touches the ground forward of the point where the front foot touches the ground.

noun

  1. A gait in which the hind foot touches ground in front of where the front foot touches the ground.
  2. A movement in which one oversteps.
  3. A decision or action that goes too far.

Etymology

From Middle English *oversteppen, from Old English ofersteppan, from Proto-Germanic *uberstapjaną (“to step over; overstep”). Cognate with Dutch overstappen, German Low German överstappen, German überstapfen, überstepfen. Cf. transgress. By surface analysis, over- + step.

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