stand down—
1. leave the witness box in a court of law after giving evidence:
- The examining counsel is only too glad to get rid of such a witness, and very soon tells him to stand down.
2. (of smb. in authority) resign from one’s position or yield one’s chance of election:
- Despite mounting criticism, the head commissioner of the Metropolitan police has refused to stand down.
step down—
1. move to a lower level, as by taking a step:
- Hug gins spoke for about ten minutes before stepping down from the stage.
2. = stand down 2:
- The sacking of the chief health officer hasn’t quelled the calls for the minister to step down.