Where does “後を付ける” come from?

後を付ける (Japanese) comes from Japanese 後, from Japanese 跡, from Japanese 足, from Old Japanese 足.

後を付ける (Japanese): follow, tag along

Definitions

後を付ける traces back through two separate lines of ancestry.

Step	Language	Word	Meaning
1	Japanese	後	the back, the rear, behind; later, afterwards,...
2	Japanese	跡	a track or trace; evidence of something moving,...
3	Japanese	足	foot; 脚 leg
4	Old Japanese	足	—

Step	Language	Word	Meaning
1	Japanese	付ける	attach, affix, stick, fasten, add, add on,...
2	Japanese	付く	attach itself to, stick, stick to, adhere, adhere...