footstep
dog (one's) footsteps
To appear to follow or accompany one wherever they go. It's a shame, but tragedy has been dogging her footsteps for years.
See also: dog, footstep
follow in (one's) footsteps
To pursue something that someone else (often a family member) has already done. My father was an engineer, and I plan to follow in his footsteps and study engineering in college. I am following in my sister's footsteps and joining her old sorority.
See also: follow, footstep
follow in the footsteps of
To pursue something that someone else (often a family member) has already done. I plan to follow in the footsteps of my father and study engineering in college. We are following in the footsteps of all the members of the sorority that came before us!
See also: follow, footstep, of
Farlex Dictionary of Idioms.
follow in someone's tracks
and follow in someone's footstepsto follow someone's example; to assume someone else's role or occupation. The vice president was following in the president's footsteps when he called for budget cuts. She followed in her father's footsteps and went into medicine.
See also: follow, track
McGraw-Hill Dictionary of American Idioms and Phrasal Verbs.
follow in someone's footsteps
Also, follow in someone's tracks. Follow someone's example or guidance. For example, Dean hoped his son would follow in his footsteps and become an economist, or Jane tried to follow in her mentor's tracks. [Mid-1500s]
See also: follow, footstep
The American Heritage® Dictionary of Idioms by Christine Ammer.
follow in someone's footsteps
COMMON If you follow in someone's footsteps, you do the same thing that they did. Rudolph Garvin was a college student, the son of a physician, who wanted to follow in his father's footsteps. He has developed on the pitch into a highly talented player, poised to follow in the footsteps of such Portuguese greats as Eusebio.
See also: follow, footstep
Collins COBUILD Idioms Dictionary, 3rd ed.
follow (or tread) in someone's footsteps
do as another person did before, especially in making a journey or following an occupation.See also: follow, footstep
Farlex Partner Idioms Dictionary
dog somebody’s ˈfootsteps
(of a problem or bad luck) seem to follow somebody everywhere: Bad luck seems to have dogged our footsteps from the beginning.See also: dog, footstep
follow in somebody’s ˈfootsteps
to do the same job, have the same style of life, etc. as somebody else, especially somebody in your family: He followed in his dad’s footsteps and became a lawyer.See also: follow, footstep
Farlex Partner Idioms Dictionary
follow in (someone's) footsteps
To carry on the behavior, work, or tradition of.
See also: follow, footstep
American Heritage® Dictionary of the English Language, Fifth Edition.
follow in the footsteps of, to
To succeed someone; to accept someone as an exemplary master or guide. This same idea was expressed in the Bible, in the first Book of Peter (2:21), “Because Christ also suffered for us, leaving us an example, that ye should follow his steps,” as well as in the Christmas carol, “Good King Wenceslas,” by John Mason Neale (1818–66), “Mark my footsteps, good my page, tread thou in them boldly.” A more sinister meaning also exists, namely in guerrilla warfare, where troops march single file, each stepping into the footprints of the one before, with the last warrior obliterating all the prints. This practice was used by American Indians in the French and Indian wars of the eighteenth century and consequently was called Indian file. See also hard act to follow.
See also: follow, footstep
The Dictionary of Clichés by Christine Ammer
- dog (one's) footsteps
- dog somebody's footsteps
- follow in the footsteps of
- follow in the footsteps of, to
- follow in (one's) footsteps
- follow in footsteps
- follow in somebody's footsteps
- follow in someone's footsteps
- dogs
- dog