step on
Put your foot on something, or treat someone badly.
Meanings
To place your foot on something, intentionally or by accident.
"She stepped on a piece of broken glass and yelped in pain."
To treat someone unfairly, disrespectfully, or as if they are unimportant.
"She had worked her whole career in companies that stepped on junior employees."
To step on someone's toes: to offend someone or interfere with their work or authority.
"I didn't want to step on anyone's toes, so I asked permission before changing the filing system."
The literal sense is very common. The figurative sense ('step on someone') means to exploit or bully them. 'Step on someone's toes' is a fixed idiom meaning to offend someone by interfering with their responsibilities.
Commonly used with
Forms
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Synonyms
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