overstep

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

• (Received Pronunciation) IPA^(key): /ˌəʊvəˈstɛp/
• (US) enPR: ō'vəstĕpʹ, IPA^(key): /ˌoʊvɚˈstɛp/

• Audio (US):

  (file)

• Rhymes: -ɛp

overstep (third-person singular simple present oversteps, present participle overstepping, simple past and past participle overstepped)

1. (transitive) To go too far beyond (a limit); especially, to cross boundaries or exceed norms or conventions.

   That color scheme really oversteps the bounds of good taste.

   • 1960 February, Cecil J. Allen, “Locomotive Running Past and Present”, in Trains Illustrated, page 112:

     As a result, there was a gain of 3½ min. from Goraghwood to Dundalk, which we reached 2 min. early. Nevertheless, the customs officials succeeded in overstepping their 13-min. time allowance, and we left 1 min. late.

2. To take a step in which the foot touches ground too far forward.
   • 1907, University of Nebraska (Lincoln campus). Agricultural Experiment Station, Annual Report - Nebraska Agricultural Experiment Station:

     As an instance of this inability to control the muscles well, may be cited the almost constant tendency to understep or overstep especially with the fore legs.

   • 1945, North eastern reporter. second series - Volume 60, page 499:

     If a sense of feeling gave him some knowledge of the width of the steps the fact that the third step was ⅝ of an inch wider could not cause him to overstep, but if it had any effect it would tend to cause him to understep.

   • 2004, Johnny D. Hoskins, Geriatrics and Gerontology of the Dog and Cat, →ISBN, page 358:

     Cerebellar dysfunction is characterized by truncal ataxia, a broad-based stance, dysmetria in which the limbs either overstep (hypermetria) or understep (hypometria), and tremor that is most pronounced when the animal attempts a goal-orientated movement (intention tremor).

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.
   • For quotations using this term, see Citations:overstep.

overstep (uncountable)

1. A gait in which the hind foot touches ground in front of where the front foot touches the ground.
   • 2012, Jonathan Poppele, Animal Tracks: Midwest Edition, →ISBN, page 27:

     A few animals, such as bison, commonly use an understep walk, while several species, including black bears, cougars and pronghorn regularly use an overstep walk.

   • 2012, Lawrence Mark Elbroch, Michael Kresky, Jonah Evans, Field Guide to Animal Tracks and Scat of California, →ISBN, page 49:

     Therefore, an understep (where the hind track lies behind the front track) is probably a slower gait than a direct-registering walk where the hind lies on top of the front, and both are probably slower than an overstep walk, where the hind track registers beyond the front track.

2. A movement in which one oversteps.
3. A decision or action that goes too far.
   • 2017, Katessa Harkey, The Peace of the Hall, page 45:

     […] an overstep of their legal bounds as an organization of any kind, and a violation of your civil rights.

• overpets, step over, stepover