tread in someone's footsteps (third-person singular simple present treads in someone's footsteps, present participle treading in someone's footsteps, simple past trod in someone's footsteps or tread in someone's footsteps or treaded in someone's footsteps, past participle trod in someone's footsteps or trodden in someone's footsteps or tread in someone's footsteps or treaded in someone's footsteps)