footstep

footstep — noun

1. the noise, print, or distance created when a foot lands on the ground while walk

1.名詞B1
釋義

the noise, print, or distance created when a foot lands on the ground while walking or running.

例句

Nia heard soft footsteps behind her and quickened her pace.

plural form: footsteps for repeated sounds

The detective found fresh footsteps in the mud near the back gate.

footsteps as marks/prints

同義詞
  • step

    more general — can mean the whole foot movement, not just the sound/mark

  • footprint

    only the mark left behind, not the sound

  • tread

    more formal or literary; emphasises the manner or sound of walking

文法句型

footsteps (plural)

用法筆記

Often used in the plural form (footsteps) when referring to a series of sounds or marks. The singular is common when counting individual steps.

常見錯誤

❌I saw his footstep in the sand.
✅I saw his footprint in the sand.
💡A single mark on the ground is called a footprint; footstep more often refers to the sound or the step itself.

2. the direction or life journey that a person follows to arrive at a destination o

2.名詞B2
釋義

the direction or life journey that a person follows to arrive at a destination or to accomplish a goal.

例句

Nikhil decided to follow in his mother's footsteps and train as a doctor.

follow in someone's footsteps — imitate a person's career

Lauren's career footsteps led her from a small clinic to a major research hospital.

possessive + footsteps + lead to [place]

同義詞
  • path

    more general; footsteps emphasises that someone else went before

  • route

    more literal — a planned way from A to B, not a life journey

  • way

    very broad; footsteps carries a stronger sense of following predecessors

文法句型

someone's footsteps

follow in someone's footsteps

retrace someone's footsteps

用法筆記

This sense is almost always figurative and used in the plural. Common fixed expressions include 'follow in someone's footsteps' (imitate their life choices) and 'retrace someone's footsteps' (visit the same places or revisit their life path).