tread
verb/trɛd/ 
/trɑd/
, trodden/ˈtrɑdn/
ortrod, trodortreaded, treaded1 [intransitive] tread (on/in/over something/someone) (old-fashioned) to put your foot down while you are stepping or walkingCareful you don't tread in that puddle.2 [transitive] tread something (+ adverb/preposition) to crush or press something with your feet synonym trampleThe wine is still made by treading grapes in the traditional way.3 [transitive, intransitive] tread (something) (formal or literary) to walk somewhereFew people had trod this path before.He was treading quietly and cautiously.IDIOMS fools rush in (where angels fear to tread)
(saying) people with little experience try to do the difficult or dangerous things that more experienced people would not consider doingfools rush infools rush in where angels fear to treadtread carefully, warily, etc.
to be very careful about what you do or say
The administration will have to tread very carefully in handling this issue.tread carefully, warily, etc.tread a difficult, dangerous, solitary, etc. path
to choose and follow a particular way of life, way of doing something, etc.
A restaurant has to tread the tricky path between maintaining quality and keeping prices down.tread a difficult, dangerous, solitary, etc. pathtread/walk a tightrope
to be in a difficult situation in which you do not have much freedom of action and need to be extremely careful about what you do
The government is walking a difficult tightrope in wanting to reduce interest rates without pushing up inflation.tread a tightropewalk a tightrope