step foot

Apparently a blending of step with set foot, perhaps by confusion.

step foot (third-person singular simple present steps foot, present participle stepping foot, simple past and past participle stepped foot)

1. (chiefly US) Alternative form of set foot
   • 1813, Washington Irving, “Sketches of an Excursion from Edinburgh to Dublin”, in The Analectic magazine, page 480:

     This was a pleasure of no small kind; and in stepping foot again upon the soil of that country, which contains much that I prize, and more that I admire

   • 1872, Sir Norman Lockyer, Nature: international journal of science, volume 6‎, page 509:

     All the dukes and princes that ever stepped foot in America, never deserved a tenth part of the attention which is due to Prof. Agassiz.

   • 1896, Sarah Orne Jewett, The country of the pointed firs‎, page 105:

     She never stepped foot on the mainland again long as she lived.

   • 2003, Deborah P. Britzman, After-education: Anna Freud, Melanie Klein, and psychoanalytic histories of learning, page 134:

     "Well," the person responded, pointing to each building in turn: "This one I usually go to, this one I sometimes go to, and this one I would never step foot in."

   • 2003, Richard Dry, Leaving, page 114:

     It was a week after the funeral before Lida stepped foot in the house again.

   • 2005, Jay Emerson Johnson, Dancing With God: Anglican Christianity And The Practice Of Hope‎, page 49:

     Imagine stepping foot on a dance floor after studying and practicing the steps for a waltz and the band strikes up the music for a rumba

   • 2008, Steven Sanders, The philosophy of TV noir‎, page 79:

     Charles is arrested at the airport the moment he steps foot on British soil.

• footstep