step on it

idiomatic phrase

: to increase one's speed : hurry up
You'd better step on it or we'll be late.
especially : to accelerate an automobile
The one in the back seat asked me what made me so sure I was having a heart attack. Very polite, I said I had had one before and knew what it was like. My wife, less polite, told them to step on it. Marvin Barrett

Examples of step on it in a Sentence

Recent Examples on the Web Passersby step on it with no thought of the name beneath their hurrying feet. Tom Gliatto, Peoplemag, 20 Sep. 2024 When Carl came to a session with a cigarette, Brian would pull it out his mouth and step on it. Andy Greene, Rolling Stone, 2 Sep. 2024 The inch-thick mat generated electricity every time a person stepped on it. Ramsha Zubairi, Smithsonian Magazine, 5 Aug. 2024 During the race, the runner puts one piece of paper down and steps on it. Catherine Holecko, Parents, 30 July 2024 That could provide more space for a potential convention bounce to play out after the GOP convention without the Democrats' event stepping on it. Geoffrey Skelley, ABC News, 17 July 2024 On the deck, was a metal plaque signifying the spot where the Japanese had surrendered and a sister told us to step on it to become closer to that great event. Dick Ahles, Hartford Courant, 4 July 2024 That super bright color actually comes in handy, stopping people from stepping on it and driving over it with a lawn mower. Stephanie Osmanski, Southern Living, 25 June 2024 To avoid stepping on it, consider the following six tips. Ginny Hogan, Forbes, 14 Feb. 2024

These examples are programmatically compiled from various online sources to illustrate current usage of the word 'step on it.' Any opinions expressed in the examples do not represent those of Merriam-Webster or its editors. Send us feedback about these examples.

Word History

First Known Use

circa 1926, in the meaning defined above

Time Traveler
The first known use of step on it was circa 1926

Dictionary Entries Near step on it

Cite this Entry

“Step on it.” Merriam-Webster.com Dictionary, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/dictionary/step%20on%20it. Accessed 6 Oct. 2024.

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