false step


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false step

1. Literally, a misstep or stumble while one is walking. I took a false step on the mountain path and nearly went tumbling over a cliff! Ashley sprained her ankle last night when she took a false step on a tree root. Please hold onto Grandma's arm in case she takes a false step—she's pretty unsteady on her feet these days.
2. By extension, an unwise, miscalculated, or blundering act or decision. We made a few false steps while setting up our business that nearly ruined our endeavor altogether. It seems now that the president's decision might have been something of a false step. Wait, the client's a staunch animal rights activist? Well, then, I sure made a false step by ordering the veal for dinner!
See also: false, step
Farlex Dictionary of Idioms. © 2024 Farlex, Inc, all rights reserved.

false step

A stumble or blunder, as in Making a down payment without securing a mortgage was clearly a false step. This term transfers physical stumbling or tripping to other enterprises. [c. 1700]
See also: false, step
The American Heritage® Dictionary of Idioms by Christine Ammer. Copyright © 2003, 1997 by The Christine Ammer 1992 Trust. Published by Houghton Mifflin Harcourt Publishing Company. All rights reserved.
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References in periodicals archive ?
The current economic picture is bleak to be sure, but a false step at this point would result in disastrous consequences that will be felt beyond the term of this government, for generations to come.
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BRUSSELS, Feb 26 (KUNA) -- EU High Representative Federica Mogherini warned Monday that any "false step" regarding the Middle East Peace Process and the status of Jerusalem could strengthen the hand of radicals in the region or even spark a religious war.
EU warns of "false steps" on Jerusalem
Sensing the welling up mood of the Nepali masses, some sections became aware of their false step which, if not amended, would boomerang badly against their electoral prospects in the days ahead.
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We expect this false step to be reversed as soon as possible," he added.
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With one false step, she could fall into anorexia or bulimia.
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I had to use both hands to carry the tree, which meant I could not steady myself on the banister, which further meant that one false step and I would be immortalised in headlines such as "NEEDLE-LESS TRAGEDY: DAD KILLED BY CHRISTMAS" and "This complete idiot tried to carry a Christmas tree down four flights of stairs.
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You can walk around it for 7km or just sit on the edge to look down at near darkness but one false step could see you plummeting hundreds of metres below.
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"If it's one false step, it becomes an arm tackle for Royce, or as we saw last night, Kani, Tony James, Taj all getting better and better.
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