Phrasal verb
step over
In Japanese
to step over; to step across; to stride over
Japanese from JMdict (EDRDG), CC BY-SA 4.0. All sources.
Definition
phrasal verb. to lift your foot and move it across something so you do not touch it.
phrasal verb. to move by lifting the foot above and across an obstacle. Transitive in this sense, requiring a direct object representing the physical barrier or person on the ground.
Examples
“Please step over the puddle so you don't get wet.”
“The hallway was full of toys, so I had to carefully step over the blocks to reach the door.”
“The hikers had to step over several fallen trunks that had obstructed the narrow mountain path during the recent storm.”
Examples
simple
“Please step over the puddle so you don't get wet.”
contextual
“The hallway was full of toys, so I had to carefully step over the blocks to reach the door.”
complex
“The hikers had to step over several fallen trunks that had obstructed the narrow mountain path during the recent storm.”
Usage
usually followed by a noun phrase representing a physical object on the ground.
Teaching tip
contrast with 'step on' (contact) and 'step across' (often used for wider spaces like streams); this is a literal movement verb often confused with the figurative 'overstep'.
Phrasal verb
Particles
over
Separability
inseparable
Pattern
step + over + object
Synonyms
Antonyms
Grammar
- Exam level
- CambridgeCambridgeCambridge English QualificationsThe exam suite from Cambridge University Press & Assessment, from A1 Movers up to C2 Proficiency. The benchmark names double as CEFR labels.A2 KeyIELTSIELTSInternational English Language Testing SystemThe 0–9 band test co-owned by the British Council, IDP, and Cambridge. Used for university entry, work, and migration.3.0–4.0TOEFL iBTTOEFL iBTTest of English as a Foreign Language, Internet-Based TestETS's academic English test, the standard route for US university admissions. Scored 0–120, with a 1–6 scale since 2026.1–6 scale: 2.0–2.524–43TOEICTOEICTest of English for International CommunicationETS's workplace English test, big in Japan and Korea. Listening & Reading scores 10–990 and tops out at C1.225–549EikenEikenTest in Practical English ProficiencyThe English proficiency test from the Eiken Foundation of Japan, widely taken by Japanese students. Grades run from 5 to 1, with Pre-1 and Pre-2 between them.Pre-2
- Level
- A2 · Elementary
- Updated
- アルファベット
- 読み方の一覧 →
QR code
englishreference.com/q/step-over