verb
overstep
oh-vuh-STEHP
verb
1
To go further than is allowed or appropriate; to cross a line.
"The manager overstepped her authority by firing him without approval."
"Be careful not to overstep when giving feedback to a friend."
How to Use Overstep
Learner’s notesIn plain EnglishTo go past a limit of behaviour, authority, or good manners.
Common pairings
overstep the mark
overstep boundaries
overstep one's authority
Word Forms
overstepped past tense, oversteps singular
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Etymology
From Old English ofersteppan, literally "to step over," built from over- + step.