footsteps
n. countable A2 Elementary US //ˈfʊtˌstɛps// UK //fˈʊtstɛps// foot·steps
n. the sounds or marks made by someone walking. You can hear them on a floor or see them in the sand.
n. the sound of a person walking or the mark left by a foot on a surface. Often used metaphorically to describe following someone's previous actions or career path.
I heard heavy footsteps in the hallway outside my room.
The detective followed the muddy footsteps leading from the garden gate to the back door.
She decided to follow in her father's footsteps by pursuing a career in medicine, eventually working at the same hospital where he had practiced for thirty years.
Usage
Usually used in the plural form when referring to the sound of walking or a trail of marks.