verb
overstep
oh-vur-STEP/ˌəʊvərˈstep/
To go beyond what is allowed or appropriate.
The employee oversteps his authority by taking control of the manager’s folder.
Etymology
Stepping beyond a boundary supplies the image for exceeding proper limits or authority. The compound was already used figuratively in Old English, treating acceptable conduct as an area with boundaries.
In context
I don't want to go overstep and do something that or interpret something that maybe the tribes are not okay with
More examples
- The manager warned her not to overstep the agreed limits.
- The proposal oversteps what the law permits.
- She regretted overstepping the boundaries of their agreement.
Forms
overstep · oversteps · overstepped · overstepping
Similar words
- exceed
- Exceed means go beyond a quantity or limit; overstep often concerns authority or propriety.
- transgress
- Transgress violates a rule or boundary; overstep suggests going beyond one’s proper scope.