overstep

Etymology

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.

verb

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.
   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. 1960 February, Cecil J. Allen, “Locomotive Running Past and Present”, in Trains Illustrated, page 112
2. To take a step in which the foot touches ground too far forward.
   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. 1907, University of Nebraska (Lincoln campus). Agricultural Experiment Station, Annual Report - Nebraska Agricultural Experiment Station
   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. 1945, North eastern reporter. second series - Volume 60, page 499
   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). 2004, Johnny D. Hoskins, Geriatrics and Gerontology of the Dog and Cat, page 358
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.

noun

1. A gait in which the hind foot touches ground in front of where the front foot touches the ground.
   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, Jonathan Poppele, Animal Tracks: Midwest Edition, page 27
   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. 2012, Lawrence Mark Elbroch, Michael Kresky, Jonah Evans, Field Guide to Animal Tracks and Scat of California, page 49
2. A movement in which one oversteps.