step lightly

stɛp ˈlaɪtli

stepped lightly, stepping lightly

Definition

Conjugation

Definition of step lightly - Reverso English Dictionary

Verbal expression

move softlymove with a soft and light step

She stepped lightly across the creaky floor.

tread lightly

cautionact or proceed carefully

You should step lightly when discussing sensitive topics.

tread lightly

Add a suggestion |

Feedback:

Expressions with step

step on

press down with the foot

He had to step on the pedal harder to stop the car..

baby step

very small progress or movement towards a goal

He took baby steps in learning to read.

in step

adv.

moving in perfect rhythm with others

The soldiers marched in step with the music.

step between

move into a space between two things

He stepped between the parked cars to cross the street.

step on someone's feet

press your foot down on another person's foot

Be careful not to step on your partner's feet while dancing.

watch one's step

move carefully to avoid obstacles

Watch your step on the icy sidewalk.

Expressions with lightly

get off lightly

receive a less severe punishment than expected

She got off lightly with a small fine.

let off lightly

give someone a mild punishment for a mistake or crime

The judge let off lightly the young offender.

take it lightly

not treat something as important or serious

He took it lightly, laughing off the supervisor's warning.

that's putting it lightly

exp.

saying something in a much less strong way than it really is

Calling the outage inconvenient? That's putting it lightly.

tread lightly

walk carefully to avoid causing damage or making noise

You should tread lightly in the old house.

wear your laurels lightly

be humble about your achievements

Even after the award, wear your laurels lightly and thank the whole team.

take lightly

treat something as not important or not seriously

You shouldn't take your health lightly.

treat lightly

handle with little care or consideration

You shouldn't treat lightly the feelings of others.

lightly armoured

adj.

equipped with light armor

The soldiers wore lightly armoured vests during the mission.

lightly-armed

adj.

equipped with minimal or less powerful weapons

The patrol was lightly-armed for the mission.

Examples of step lightly in a sentence

They step lightly on the forest floor to not disturb the wildlife.
They must step lightly to navigate the political landscape.

View all translations of step lightly

✨Click below to see the appropriate translations facing each meaning.

French:avancer à pas feutrés, marcher sur des œufs, ...
German:leicht treten, vorsichtig vorgehen, ...
Italian:muoversi con leggerezza, andare con i piedi di piombo, ...
Spanish:pisar suavemente, proceder con cautela, ...
Portuguese:pisar suavemente, proceder com cautela, ...
Chinese:轻轻地走, 小心行事, ...
Japanese:そっと歩く, 慎重に行動する, ...
Arabic:مَشَى بخِفَّة, تَصَرَّفَ بِحَذَرٍ, ...
Hebrew:לִפְסוֹעַ בַּעֲדִינוּת, לִדְרוֹךְ בִּזְהִירוּת, ...
Russian:легко ступать, действовать осторожно, ...
Ukrainian:йти легко, діяти обережно, ...
Hindi:हल्के क़दमों से चलना, सावधानी से काम लेना, ...
Bengali:পা টিপে হাঁটা, সাবধানে কাজ করা, ...
Catalan:caminar de puntetes, anar amb compte, ...
Czech:našlapovat lehce, postupovat opatrně, ...
Danish:træde let, træde varsomt, ...
Dutch:zachtjes stappen, voorzichtig handelen, ...
Greek:περπατώ ελαφρά, προχωρώ προσεκτικά, ...
Hungarian:könnyedén lépkedni, óvatosan eljárni, ...
Khmer:ដើរយ៉ាងស្រាល, ប្រុងប្រយ័ត្ន, ...
Korean:가볍게 걷다, 신중하게 행동하다, ...
Persian:نرم قدم برداشتن, با احتیاط عمل کردن, ...
Polish:lekko stąpać, ostrożnie postępować, ...
Portuguese (BR):pisar suavemente, proceder com cautela, ...
Romanian:a păși ușor, a acționa cu grijă, ...
Swedish:gå lätt, gå försiktigt fram, ...
Thai:ก้าวเบาๆ, ระมัดระวัง, ...
Turkish:hafif adımlarla yürümek, dikkatli davranmak, ...
Vietnamese:bước nhẹ, hành động cẩn thận, ...

Browse the dictionary entries starting with “s”:

step into someone's shoes

step into the breach

step lively

step machine

Discover how Reverso redefines the dictionary

Go beyond “simple words”

100,000 expressions & idioms Understand any expression you come across: from corporate jargon like 💬 touch base or ↩️ circle back to everyday expressions such as 🌊 out of the blue or 🦆 lame duck, as well as idioms like 🍲 spill the beans and 🐎 hold your horses.

40,000 images When you search for a concrete noun or object, images help you grasp the meaning at a glance. Try searching for 🧵 puppytooth, 🎠 merry-go-round, ⚜️ fleur-de-lys, or 💤 bunk bed.

Informal language & slang Everyday conversations are packed with informal expressions and slang. Meanings are clearly tagged, so you'll always know when a word is casual. Look up hangry (😋 hungry + 😡 angry), 😎 rizz, 🕹️ noob, or 🔑 low-key.

Abbreviations & acronyms Quickly decode modern abbreviations and acronyms. Go from IDK to OMG in seconds and stay up to date with popular abbreviations such as 🐐 GOAT, 📜 tl;dr, 👀 POV, or 🖥️ AFK.

Regional usage (US / UK) Reverso highlights regional differences between American and British English. You’ll never have to wonder where a word is commonly used: try lift vs. elevator, courgette vs. zucchini, or popular British slang like dodgy or banter. What’s more, when you search for 'color', you’ll immediately see its British counterpart, 'colour'.

Get more than a simple definition

Translations for each meaning View translations alongside each meaning to see how a word is translated in each context. Simply toggle translations ON and choose among 25+ languages. You can also display the translation of definitions or examples into your native language to deepen your understanding.

Synonyms & related words by meaning View synonyms and related words for each meaning, not just for the word as a whole. This helps you choose the most accurate word for your context. Click the

icon to discover related terms: analogies, antonyms, common collocates, words with same roots, umbrella terms… Try with happening or hunch.

Multiple examples for every meaning Each meaning comes with three real-life examples to show you how the word is used in different contexts. Click the

icon next to the first example to see two additional options and learn to use new vocabulary naturally.

Go from understanding to mastery

Save words for later review Click the

icon to save words you want to revisit. You can also save a specific meaning by clicking on the

icon next to it. For example, you might want to save the word “table” as a verb, which means “to postpone”.

Practice with personalized flashcards Reverso automatically transforms your searches and saved words into personalized flashcards and quizzes, featuring high-quality audio and usage examples. This helps you transform terms you only recognize into words you actually use confidently.

Learn with Netflix, YouTube, and your favorite texts With Reverso Chrome extension, transform movies, TV shows, articles, or song lyrics into an interactive lesson. Look up words and expressions in one click on any website and learn with your favorite content.