step in meaning: definition, etymology and quotations

step in

verbalso spelled step-in

To act as a replacement or substitute.

McCoist unexpectedly ushered back a defender of his own with Kirk Broadfoot taking over from Steven Whittaker. There was, of course, another change, Kyle Bartley stepping in at centre-half to replace suspended Dorin Goian.2011 December 29, Keith Jackson, “SPL: Celtic 1 Rangers 0”, in Daily Record:

To get involved; to act.

HM Chief Inspector of Railways has stepped in to speed up work to resolve incidents of overspeeding, having been concerned that progress on the issue has been too slow.2026 February 18, David Stubbings, “ORR steps in to improve industry response to overspeed incidents”, in RAIL, number 1055, page 9:

noun

Etymology From step + in.

Also An item of clothing which one steps into to put on; specifically, women's panties.

‘Doc got that step-in in Memphis,’ the third said. ‘Off a damn whore.’1931, William Faulkner, Sanctuary, Vintage, published 1993, page 46:
One of the girls hoisted her skirt suddenly, pulled and ripped at her pink step-ins and tore them to a sizeable flag; then, screaming "Ben! Ben!" she waved it wildly.1934, F[rancis] Scott Fitzgerald, Tender is the Night: A Romance, New York, N.Y.: Charles Scribner’s Sons, →OCLC; republished as chapter VII, in Malcolm Cowley, editor, Tender is the Night: A Romance … With the Author’s Final Revisions, New York, N.Y.: Charles Scribner’s Sons, 1951, →OCLC, book V (The Way Home: 1929–1930), page 315:

Entry derived from the Wiktionary, under licence CC BY-SA 4.0 — authors: page histories for step in and step-in.