step

mind (or watch) your step be careful.

step into the breach: seebreach.

step on the gas: seegas.

step on it

1 make a motor vehicle go faster by pressing down on the accelerator pedal with your foot.

2 hurry up. informal

step out of line behave inappropriately or disobediently.

step on someone's toes: see tread on someone's toes attread.

step up to the plate take action in response to an opportunity, crisis, or challenge; take responsibility for something. chiefly North American

☞ The expression originated in the language of baseball, where 'the plate' (in full, the 'home plate') is a rubber slab at one corner of the diamond where the batter stands when batting (roughly equivalent to the crease in cricket).

2004Boston Globe Directors…need to step up to the plate in order for investors to feel comfortable that they are properly represented as shareholders.

take steps adopt a particular course of action in order to bring about a particular result.