take a step back
English
editVerb
edittake a step back (third-person singular simple present takes a step back, present participle taking a step back, simple past took a step back, past participle taken a step back)
- (figuratively) To withdraw temporarily from a situation in order to evaluate it; to cease one's course of action and take a moment to reflect on it; to try and gain some perspective.
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Further reading
edit- “take a step back” in Idioms and phrases, TheFreeDictionary.com, Huntingdon Valley, Pa.: Farlex, Inc., 2003–2024.