Donkey's quote from Shrek: "I've mastered the stairs. I wish I had a step right here. I'd step all over it."

Could you explain the first and third sentences? Are they correct, I mean we can say that we "master the thing" like stairs or it is only a joke?
I know that we can master an emotion, situation, or ability, but I didn't hear about master the thing.

Is it the meaning of the third sentence: "To treat one in a way that ignores or flouts their authority, input, or feelings; to take advantage of one or push one around."?

Another question: Can the word master be used in the continuous tense ex.
She is mastering the English language now. (she is learning English now, so this skill is being improved at this point)
He was mastering this situation for 2 days. (2 days he controlled this situation)

Question

Donkey's quote from Shrek: "I've mastered the stairs. I wish I had a step right here. I'd step all over it."

Could you explain the first and third sentences? Are they correct, I mean we can say that we "master the thing" like stairs or it is only a joke? 
I know that we can master an emotion, situation, or ability, but I didn't hear about master the thing.

Is it the meaning of the third sentence: "To treat one in a way that ignores or flouts their authority, input, or feelings; to take advantage of one or push one around."?

Another question: Can the word master be used in the continuous tense ex. 
She is mastering the English language now. (she is learning English now, so this skill is being improved at this point)
He was mastering this situation for 2 days. (2 days he controlled this situation)

silkeytaylor · Answer

Yes, you can master the thing. It means that you are an expert at doing whatever it is someone does with the thing. 
I've mastered the stairs = I've mastered the ability to climb the stairs
I've mastered the guitar = I've mastered the ability to play the guitar
I've mastered coffee = I've mastered the ability to make coffee

You have the correct definition for "To step on someone/something", but here it's not being said in that way. He means the actual physical act of stepping on the stairs. Donkey is saying that he's an expert at climbing stairs, and he loves it so much that if there were a step right there, he would just step on it non-stop because he loves doing it and he's really good at it. It's funny because that's a weird thing to love doing and to claim to be really good at.

Here's the other way of saying "to step on something":
My boyfriend is so mean, he just steps all over me.

Yes, you can use it in the continuous tense, but I don't understand the last sentence. I've never heard "to master" as a synonym for "to control".

I hope this makes sense! Sorry I can't write in Polish.

silkeytaylor · Answer

@Klaudia007 ohh ok it could be a synonym to “to take control” but not having continuous control. So “he mastered the situation” makes sense, but not “he mastered the situation for 2 days”.

It’s not a verb I’ve seen/heard very often in the context “to take control” but it works.

Doni_G · Answer

You can use it to say master a thing like a skill. Example, "master the guitar." It's a joke because Donkey is afraid of the dragon, AND there's an exercise machine known as a StairMaster.

Yes, the third sentence means that. It's a pun (word-play joke) too, because the expression literally means to walk all over, as if it were the floor, or a doormat ("doormat" may also be used figuratively, to mean someone who lets others walk all over them. No self-respect).

Yes, you may use "mastering" in the continuous context!