step on it

verb

To drive fast; to step on the accelerator.

“If I step on it, I can still arrive on time.”

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rushhotfoothastenhiespeedracepelt alongrush along
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Meanings

verbstep on it (third-person singular simple present steps on it, present participle stepping on it, simple past and past participle stepped on it)

present singular third person steps on it · participle present stepping on it · participle past stepped on it · past stepped on it

  1. automotiveTo drive fast; to step on the accelerator.

    If I step on it, I can still arrive on time.

    1 more example

    But a signal check at Tollerton was not expected and the driver had to "step on it" thereafter, to reach Darlington, as we did, dead on time.

    1959 July 28, O. S. Nock, “British Locomotive Practice and Performance”, in Railway Magazine, page 482
  2. idiomaticTo act quickly.

    They'll have to step on it to finish the paper tonight.

Synonyms & antonyms

verbmove hurridly

Similar
rushhotfoothastenhiespeedracepelt alongrush alongcannonball alongbucket alongbelt along
Broader
travelgomove
Also see
floor ithastenhiehotfootput one's foot downracerushspeed

Synonym sets from Open English WordNet, CC BY 4.0.

Origin

An automobile accelerator is usually a foot pedal, so stepping down harder increases the acceleration.

Full word history & related roots →

Translations

Finnish painaa kaasua, panna töpinäksi
  • painaa kaasuato drive fast
  • panna töpinäksito act quickly
French mettre les gaz, appuyer sur le champignon
  • mettre les gazto drive fast
  • appuyer sur le champignonto drive fast
Greek πατάω γκάζι
  • πατάω γκάζι (patáo gkázi)to drive fast
Korean 밟아 라
  • 밟아 라 (balba ra)to drive fast
Polish dawać gazu, dać gazu
  • dawać gazuto drive fast
  • dać gazuto drive fast
  • dawać gazuto act quickly
  • dać gazuto act quickly
Portuguese pisar fundo
  • pisar fundoto drive fast
Russian жать на газ, поднажа́ть
  • жать на газ (žatʹ na gaz)to drive fast
  • поднажа́ть (podnažátʹ)to drive fast
  • поднажа́ть (podnažátʹ)to act quickly
Swedish gasen i botten, plattan i mattan
  • gasen i bottento drive fast
  • plattan i mattanto drive fast
Cite this entry
APA

step on it. (n.d.). In WatkinsX Dictionary. Retrieved November 4, 2026, from https://dictionary.watkinsx.com/word/step%20on%20it

MLA

“step on it.” WatkinsX Dictionary, https://dictionary.watkinsx.com/word/step%20on%20it. Accessed November 4, 2026.

Chicago

WatkinsX Dictionary, s.v. “step on it,” accessed November 4, 2026, https://dictionary.watkinsx.com/word/step%20on%20it.

Source: step on it on Wiktionary, CC BY-SA 4.0.