Forms: α. 4 saud-, sawder, 5 sauldyer; 4 sawdour, sawgeoure, 5 saud-, sawdiour, 56 sawdyour (5 -yor). β. 4 souder, 5 sowder(e, 6 -eer; 5 soudyre, 56 sowdier, 6 soudyer; 5 sowdear, 6 -iar, -yare, soudiar; 4 soudior, 5 -eor, sowdior, -yor(e; 4 soudour, 45 soudyour(e, 46 soudeour, -iour (4 -ioure), 6 soudgour, 7 soujour; 4 sowedeur, 45 sowdeour, -iour, 46 -your (5 -yowre), γ. 45 souldeour, 46 -your, 4, 67 -iour (6 sowldiour, soulddour); 6 souldiar, -yar, -yer, 68 souldier (6 -iere), 78 souldjer, 7 soulder. δ. 56 soldiour, 67 soldior, 6 soldear, -iar, 6 soldier (6 soilder, 7 soldjere). ε. 4 sodiour, -your, 6 sodioure, -ear, -ier. ζ. 6 sogear, -eour, soygear, soi-, sojour, -ar, 7 sojor, 7 soger, sodger. [a. OF. soud(i)er, saudier, sodyer, soldier (also with different ending soldeier, -oier, etc.), f. soude SOLD sb.1 (cf. med.L. solidārius). The obs. forms in -eo(u)r, -io(u)r, etc., correspond to the OF. variants soudiour, souldiour, -eour, soldiour, etc. Owing to the variation in both stem and termination, and the reduction of the di to j (g), the number of former spellings is unusually large.]
1. One who serves in an army for pay; one who takes part in military service or warfare; spec. one of the ordinary rank and file; a private.
Common soldier: see COMMON a. 12 b. Private soldier: see PRIVATE a. 2 b. Foot-soldier: see FOOT sb. 34 c. Soldier of fortune: see FORTUNE sb. 1 e.
α. a. 1300. Cursor M., 24789. He gadird sauders her and þar, To strenth his castels.
13[?]. K. Alis., 1399 (Laud. MS.). And seuen & tuenty hundreþ sawders, Stronge in felde, vpon destrers.
c. 1440. Contin. Brut, 538. Caleis was þat tyme kept with saudiours.
c. 1460. Towneley Myst., xxx. 222. Thou art the best sawgeoure that euer had I any.
1465. Paston Lett., I. 133. The olde sawdyors of Normaundy.
c. 1489. Caxton, Sonnes of Aymon, iii. 70. I am a sauldyer with Reynawde.
[c. 1500. Melusine, 208. Your peple that be come hither to take your wages as sawdoyers.]
β. 13[?]. Guy Warw., 5329. Wiþ þat come anoþer kniȝt : Douke Otus soudour was he.
1338. R. Brunne, Chron. (1810), 109. Aniowe with þer souders was alle biseged & set.
c. 1350. Will. Palerne, 3954. I sette ȝou for no soudiour but for souerayn lord.
1387. Trevisa, Higden (Rolls), IV. 255. In þe secounde fyve ȝere þey hadde silver for to paye knyȝtes and soudeours.
1421. Rolls of Parlt., IV. 159/2. The pore liege men and Soudeors in the Town.
c. 1450. Merlin, xii. 174. Lete vs geder oure kyn and oure frendes and sowderes out of alle londes.
1503. Act 19 Hen. VII., c. 12 § 11. Callyng hymself a Sowedyer, Shipman, or Travelyngman.
1526. R. Whytford, Martiloge (1893), 2. Amonge soudyours that were under the capytane & prynce Licyne.
1535. Coverdale, 2 Sam. iv. 2. There were two men captaynes ouer the soudyers.
1538. Starkey, England, I. i. 3. He was neuer gud capitayne that neuer was soudiar.
γ. 1390. Gower, Conf., I. 358. How thei stonde of on acord, The Souldeour forth with the lord.
c. 1400. Maundev. (1839), v. 38. Als moche takethe the Amyralle be him allone, as alle the other Souldyours han undre hym.
1474. Caxton, Chesse, II. iv. (1883), 49. Whan the souldyours see that they [etc.].
1530. Palsgr., 273/1. Souldier of a strange lande, avxiliaire.
15706. Lambarde, Peramb. Kent (1826), 141. He maintained a great number of Souldiours within the Castle.
1625. Tuke, Holy Eucharist, A iij b. How that noble Worthy made them bee Destroyed of his souldjers presentlie.
16401. Kirkcudbright War. Committees Minute Bk. (1855), 152. To mak present provisione for clothes and schooes to thair awn souldiors.
1680. Otway, Orphan, II. iii. Young Souldier, youve not only studyd War.
δ. c. 1450. Holland, Howlat, 641. Soldiouris and sumptermen to thai senȝeouris.
a. 1547. Surrey, Æneid, II. 11. What Myrmidon: What stern Ulysses waged soldiar?
1557. Anc. Cal. Rec. Dublin (1889), 468. Every freman becomyng a soilder.
1590. Sir J. Smythe, Disc. Weapons, Ded. 16 b. Such Officers cannot faile to make good soldiers.
1601. Shaks., Twel. N., III. iv. 339. As he is a Gentleman and a Soldiour.
16289. Digby, Voy. Medit. (Camden), 16. The gran Hogi (that is secretarie) paying the soldiors.
1728. Young, Love Fame, IV. 254. Of boasting more than of a bomb afraid, A soldier should be modest as a maid.
1752. Hume, Ess. & Treat. (1777), I. 275. A continual succession of wars makes every citizen a soldier.
1829. Scott, Anne of G., xxxiv. The sight of your lordship has waked the old soldier in myself.
1869. E. A. Parkes, Pract. Hygiene (ed. 3), 623. The trade of the soldier is war.
ε. c. 1400. Maundev. (Roxb.), vi. 20. Pure knyghtes and sodyours selles þaire hernays.
1489. Barbours Bruce, V. 205 (Edin.). It wes all to gret perill Sa ner thir sodiourys to ga.
1529. Rastell, Pastyme (1811), 108. And wyth new sodears gave to Arthur anewe battell.
1556. Chron. Grey Friars (Camden), 16. The morrow after there ware sodiers arestyd & prisond.
1570. Levins, Manip., 223. A sodioure, miles, bellator.
ζ. 1532. in W. M. Williams, Ann. Founders Co. (1867), 214. These be the charges for the fyrst Soygears.
1559. Peebles Burgh Rec. (1872), 253. The inqueist ordanis the sojarris and allegit men of weir to depas incontinent of the tovne.
1573. Satir. Poems Reform., xxxix. 118. With certane Soiouris of the garysoun.
16401. Kirkcudbright War-Committees Minute Bk. (1855), 9. The sogers, both the foote and horss.
1650. Z. Boyd, in Zions Flowers (1855), Introd. 48. Divers sojours did sing with us.
17[?]. Ramsay, Soger Laddie, ii. My doughty laddie can as a soger and lover behave.
1782. Burns, Ill go and be a Sodger, 4. Im twenty-three, and five-feet-nine,Ill go and be a sodger!
1838. Jas. Grant, Sk. Lond., 219. Hollering aloud that he had been a sodger before, but that he was a gentleman now.
1840. R. H. Dana, Bef. Mast, iv. Youre neither man, boy, soger, nor sailor!
b. A man of military skill and experience.
1603. Shaks., Meas. for M., III. ii. 155. Hee shall appeare to the enuious, a Scholler, a Statesman, and a Soldier.
1603. Ld. Mountjoy, in Moryson Itin. (1617), II. 284. Howsoever he be no Souldier, yet is [he] well acquainted with the businesse of the warre.
1852. Tennyson, Ode on Death Wellington, 131. So great a soldier taught us there, What long-enduring hearts could do.
1862. Carlyle, Fredk. Gt., XII. ii. III. 181. There is Count von Roth, Silesian Lutheran, an excellent Soldier.
c. A small image of a soldier, intended as a childs toy.
1878. H. S. Leigh, Town Garland, 56. I will treat her young brother, methinks, To a boxful of soldiers instead.
2. fig. (usually with ref. to spiritual service or warfare). Also const. to (a purpose, etc.).
1340. Ayenb., 146. We byeþ alle uelaȝes ine þe ost of oure lhorde and his kniȝtes and his soudeurs.
c. 1500. Melusine, 149. Þey name them self sawdyours of our lord Jeshu criste.
1549. Bk. Common Prayer, Publ. Bapt., To continewe his faythfull soldiour and seruaunt unto thy lyfes ende.
1580. in Allen, Martyrdom Campion (1908), 25. Very many being restored to the Church, new souldiars geve up their names.
1608. Shaks., Per., IV. i. 8. Nor let pity melt thee, but be A soldier to thy purpose. Ibid. (1611), Cymb., III. iv. 186. This attempt, I am Souldier too.
1649. Bp. Reynolds, Hosea, ii. 74. Such an oath have all Christs Souldiers taken.
1737. Challoner, Cath. Chr. Instr. (1753), 20. To make them Soldiers of Christ, and perfect Christians.
1810. Shelley, Tremble Kings, 5. We all are soldiers fit to fight.
1860. Warter, Sea-board, II. 466. No mean soldier of the Church Militant here on earth was Major Hodson!
b. To come the old soldier over one, to take one in, impose upon one. (See COME v. 28 b.)
1824. Scott, St. Ronans, xviii. I should think he was coming the old soldier over me, and keeping up his game.
1861. Hughes, Tom Brown at Oxf., II. xvii. 331. But you neednt try to come the old soldier over me. Im not quite such a fool as that.
3. transf. Used as a name for various animals, fishes, etc.
† a. A turtle. Obs. b. The soldier-crab or hermit-crab. † c. = soldier-insect (see 8). d. A Brazilian fish, of which the native name is camboatá. Obs. e. A fighting ant or termite; also Austr., a species of large red ant. f. The red gurnard. g. slang. A red herring. h. A red spider; a small red beetle; a ladybird. i. Austr. (See quot.) j. U.S. (See quot.)
a. 1608. Topsell, Serpents (1658), 798. This Sea-tortoise , which the common Fisher-men call the Souldier, because his back seemeth to be armed and covered with a shield and helmet.
b. 1666. J. Davies, Hist. Caribby Isles, 78. There is a kind of Snailes, called by the French Soldats that is Souldiers, because they have no shells proper and peculiar to themselves.
1697. Dampier, Voy. (1699), 39. Under those Trees we found plenty of Soldiers, that live in Shells, and have two great Claws like a Crab.
1725. Sloane, Jamaica, II. 272. This small Lobster or Crab differs in very little from the European Souldjer or Hermit-Crab.
1782. P. H. Bruce, Mem., XII. 424. Their shell-fish are conques, perriwinkles, coneys, sogers, wilkes, [etc.].
1833. M. Scott, Tom Cringle, vi. The amphibious little creatures, half crab, half lobster, called soldiers.
c. 1699. Wafer, Voy., 110. If these Soldiers eat of any of the Manchineel-Apples , their Flesh becomes infected with that virulent Juice.
d. 1703. Dampier, Voy. (1729), III. I. 416. The River Souldier. Its maild somewhat like a Sturgeon, the Meat good; they say it gets on Land to seek for Water when the Rivers are near dry.
e. (a) 1781. Phil. Trans., LXXI. 145. Of every species there are three orders; first, the working insects, next the fighting ones, or soldiers.
1871. Kingsley, At Last, viii. The workers and soldiers, I believe, without exception, are blind.
1898. E. P. Evans, Evol. Ethics, vi. 210. The soldiers may be undeveloped males, although this is by no means certain.
(b) 1854. G. H. Haydon, Australian Emigrant, 59. It was a red ant, upwards of an inch in lengththats a soldier, and he prods hard too.
1881. Chequered Career, 324. I was bitten once by a soldier, and for ten minutes was in frightful agony.
f. 1846. Zoologist, IV. 1402. The Red Gurnard, Trigla cuculus. This species is frequently called soldier.
1905. Haslope, Pract. Sea-Fishing, 97. Small Pollack sometimes acquire a bright red colour, and then are termed soldiers in Cornwall.
g. 1811. Lexicon-Balatronicum, Soldier, a red herring.
1835. Marryat, J. Faithful, x. He returned, bringing half a dozen red herrings. Here, Tom, grill these sodgers.
1883. Day, Fishes Gt. Brit., II. 210. A red herring sailors usually designate as a sodger, or soldier.
h. 1848. Johnston, in Proc. Berw. Nat. Club, II. VI. 290. This insect is called a Tant in England. Our children call it the Soldier, from its scarlet colour.
1854. Miss Baker, Northampt. Gloss., Soldier. The small beetle known to entomologists as the Cantharis livida.
1858. Kingsley, Misc. (1859), I. 189. The soldier, the soft-winged reddish beetle which haunts the umbelliferous flowers.
1863. [see SAILOR 3 b].
i. 1898. R. Boldrewood, Rom. Canvas Town, 76. They rode on, seeing nothing living save four soldiers or forest kangaroo.
j. 1904. P. Fountain, Gt. North-West, etc., xix. 224. A bird known locally [in Ohio] as the marshal, and sometimes the soldier. It is a very gaudy woodpecker with a great deal of scarlet in the colour of its plumage.
4. dial. As a plant-name (see quot.).
See also Fresh-water and Water soldier.
1854. Miss Baker, Northampt. Gloss., Soldier. Another local name for the field poppy, Papaver Rhæas.
5. A disease of swine characterized by red patches on the skin. (Cf. soldier-disease in 8.)
1882. F. Vacher, Transmiss. Disease by Food, 4. Erysipelas is far from rare among cattle and swine; and passing under such names as soldier is often counted but a trifling ailment.
1890. Lancet, 2 Aug., 217/2. A disorder affecting pigs, called in Ireland red soldier, from the red patches that appear on the skin in fatal cases.
6. A soldier-line (see 8).
1865. J. C. Wilcocks, Sea-Fisherman (1875), 82. The tide now began to run considerably stronger, and more length on the lines was requisite; I therefore prepared to rig a soldier.
7. attrib. and Comb. a. Appositive, as soldier-colonist, -hero, -laddie, -man, etc.
1852. Mundy, Antipodes (1857), 196. The attempt to make the *soldier-colonist a landed proprietor.
a. 1892. Tennyson, in Q. Rev., Oct. (1897), 524. Our great, simple *soldier-hero Gordon.
17[?]. Ramsay, Soger Laddie, i. My *soger laddie is over the sea.
[1786. Harst Rig, xcviii. (1801), 31. The Grey Breeks next, and then shell try The Sodger Laddie.
1847. Tennyson, Princess, Prol. 86. While the twangling violin Struck up with Soldier-laddie.]
1801. R. L. & Mar. Edgeworth, Irish Bulls (1803), 153. Some of his *soldiermen being of the company.
1893. Stevenson, Catriona, xxx. 354. I went among soldier-men to their big dinners.
1894. H. Speight, Nidderdale, 187. The original house of the old *soldier-monks at Ribston.
1823. W. Robinson, in J. A. Heraud, Voy. & Mem. Midshipman, vi. (1837), 1012. In a race we had against the *soldier-officers there was a capsize.
1808. Mitford, Hist. Greece, xxviii. § ix. III. 549. [Xenophon] the *soldier-philosopher-author.
1830. Tennyson, To J. M. K., 2. A latter Luther, and a *soldier-priest.
1852. Mundy, Antipodes (1857), 35. The old *soldier-robber remaining doggedly at bay.
1892. T. A. Cook, Old Touraine, I. 10. If there is one thing for which Tours is famous it is for its *soldier-saint.
1871. Swinburne, Songs bef. Sunrise, Blessed among Women, 11. A godlike *soldier-saviour.
1872. Routledges Ev. Boys Ann., 186/2. An awkward *soldier-servant.
b. Attributive, as soldier-caste, -city, -class, -craft, etc.
1847. Mrs. A. Kerr, trans. Rankes Hist. Servia, 455. The immediate domination of the *soldier-caste.
1847. Tennyson, Princess, V. 7. Threading the *soldier-city.
1847. Mrs. A. Kerr, trans. Rankes Hist. Servia, 160. There was no *soldier-class in Servia.
1855. S. Palmer, in Gilchrist, Life Blake, I. 303. That we heard so much of priestcraft, and so little of *soldiercraft and lawyercraft.
1844. Lever, T. Burke, II. 163. Even there, again, I but showed my *soldier education.
1814. Scott, Lord of Isles, III. v. Then do me but the *soldier grace, This glove upon thy helm to place.
a. 1835. Mrs. Hemans, Burial in the Desert, Poems (1875), 517. With a few brief words of *soldier-love.
1837. Carlyle, Fr. Rev., II. II. ii. How these things may act on the rude *soldier-mind.
1810. Scott, Lady of Lake, VI. ii. At dawn the towers of Stirling rang With *soldier-step and weapon-clang.
c. Miscellaneous, as soldier-breeder; soldier-hearted, -mad adjs.; soldier-wise adv.
1599. Shaks., Hen. V., V. ii. 219. Thou must therefore needes proue a good Souldier-breeder.
1824. Medwin, Conversat. Byron, II. 206. Lord Byron became, as one of the letters from the place expresses it, soldier-mad.
1837. Carlyle, Fr. Rev., II. I. xi. They have shouldered, soldier-wise, their shovels and picks.
1848. Blackw. Mag., March, 353. They were buried soldier-fashion in the same grave.
1849. [W. M. W. Call], Reverb., II. 5. Be thou wise and earnest, good and brave, Soldier-hearted.
8. Special combs., as soldier-ant, = sense 3 e; soldier-beetle, = sense 3 h; (old) soldier bird, an Australian bird, Myzomela sanguinolenta, with bright red plumage; soldier-bush, = soldier-wood; soldier disease, = sense 5; † soldierfare, military service or experience; soldier-fish, -flies, U.S. (see quots.); † soldier-insect (see quot.); soldier-line (see quot. and cf. sense 6); † soldier money, ? money spent in assisting poor soldiers; soldier-moth, -orchis (see quots.); soldier palmer, an artificial fly used in angling; soldier-pink dial., a minnow; soldier-plant, -thighed a., -wood (see quots.).
1857. Livingstone, Trav., xxvii. 537. I observed many regiments of black *soldier-ants.
1855. Ogilvie, Suppl., *Soldier-beetle, a name given to coleopterous insects of the genus Telephorus.
1883. W. Saunders, Insects Inj. Fruits, 185. The larva of the soldier-beetle, Chauliognathus Americanus..., is also a useful agent in destroying the curculio.
1857. D. Bunce, Australas. Rem., 62. The notes peculiar to the leather-head or old *soldier bird, added in no small degree to the novelties.
1881. Encycl. Brit., XII. 139. The males are recognizable by a gorgeous display of crimson or scarlet, which has caused one species to be known as the Soldier-bird to Australian colonists.
1878. Typhoid Fever Order (Privy Council), Typhoid fever of Swine (otherwise called *Soldier disease or red disease).
157980. North, Plutarch, Sertorius (1612), 584. The first time of his *souldierfare was, when the Cimbres and Teutons inuaded Gavle.
1632. Holland, Cyrupædia, 43. Whatsoever by their souldier-fare in this expedition, they shall win.
1882. Jordan & Gilbert, Synopsis Fishes N. Amer., 517. Pæcilechthys cæruleus, Blue Darter; Rainbow Darter; *Soldier-fish.
1855. Ogilvie, Suppl., *Soldier-flies, a name given in the United States to flies of the family Stratiomyæ.
1699. Wafer, Voy., 110. There is a sort of Insect like a Snail in great plenty among the Samballoes, which is calld the *Soldier-Insect , because of the Colour.
1865. J. C. Wilcocks, Sea-Fisherman (1875), (1875), 823. A *soldier-line is one of two-stranded hemp twine, having for a sinker a two-pound Mackerel plummet, and is made fast to a strong flexible stick [etc.].
1593. Churchw. Acc. Pittington, etc. (Surtees), 35. Item given to Roberte Morie for *Soldier monie (as he cald it) the xxiiij of November, xiij d. Ibid. (1603), 52. Item given to Thomas Kinge for Souldere monie the last day of March, viij s. viij d.
1882. Cassells Nat. Hist., VI. 67. The *Soldier Moth (Euschema militaris) is the commonest.
1863. Prior, Plant-n., *Soldier orchis, from a fancied resemblance in it to a soldier, Orchis militaris.
1839. T. C. Hofland, Brit. Anglers Man., xi. (1841), 164. The house-fly and small *soldier palmer.
1867. F. Francis, Angling, vi. (1880), 245. Soldier Palmer. A capital fly in warm weather.
1854. Miss Baker, Northampt. Gloss., *Soldier-pink. The minnow, called by ichthyologists the Cyprynus Proxinus.
1864. Grisebach, Flora Brit. W. Ind., 787/2. *Soldier-plant: Calliandra purpurea.
1825. Jamieson, Suppl., *Sodger-theed, having little or no money in ones pocket. [Cf. soldiers thigh in 9.]
1823. Crabb, Technol. Dict., II. *Soldier-wood, the Mimosa purpurea of Linnæus.
1824. Loudon, Encycl. Gard. (ed. 2), 1223/1. Soldier-wood, inga purpurea.
1866. Treas. Bot., 1071/2. Soldier-wood, Calliandra purpurea.
9. Possessive combs., as † soldiers bottle, a bottle of extra size; † soldiers boy, a camp-follower; † soldiers cloth, coarse cloth; soldiers heart, Path., a diseased state of the heart, characterized by a throbbing sensation in the chest and a difficulty in breathing; † soldiers mawnd, slang (see quots.); soldiers spots, Path., a variety of macula; soldiers supper, a smoke and a drink of water; soldiers thigh, dial. (see quot., and cf. soldier-thighed in 8); soldiers wind, a wind that serves either way.
a. 1700. B. E., Dict. Cant. Crew, *Soldiers-bottle, a large one.
17318. Swift, Polite Conv., 177. I hope, youll give me a Soldiers Bottle.
1611. Cotgr., Goujat, a *Souldiors boy . Goujaterie, Souldiors boyes, or the young rakehells that follow a Campe.
1753. Hanway, Trav., II. II. xxvi. 156. The advantage in favour of the British subjects in Russia is about one third part in the customs of *soldiers cloths.
1898. Allbutts Syst. Med., V. 851. *Soldiers heart.I venture to give this name to a disease well-known to physicians in the army.
a. 1700. B. E., Dict. Cant. Crew, *Souldiers-Mawnd, a Counterfeit Sore or Wound in the Left Arm.
1785. Grose, Dict. Vulgar T., Soldiers mawnd, a pretended soldier, begging with a counterfeit wound.
1873. Dunglisons Dict. Med. Sci., *Soldiers spots, Maculæ albæ.
1893. J. A. Barry, Steve Browns Bunyip, 31. A bite o rotten bread for breakfus, ditto for dinner, an a *soldiers supper.
1841. Hartshorne, Salop. Ant., Gloss., *Soldiers thigh, a slang term for an empty pocket.
1833. Marryat, P. Simple, xvi. The wind was what is called at sea a *soldiers wind, that is, blowing so that the ships could lie either way, so as to run out or into the harbour.
1893. H. M. Doughty, Wherry in Wendish Lands, 312. Thence down the Schwielow See, with a light soldiers wind, we crept contentedly to past the Gänse horn.
b. In various plant-names, as soldiers cap, cullion, herb, tea, weed, woundwort, yarrow.
1854. Miss Baker, Northampt. Gloss., *Soldiers caps. The flowers of the monkshood.
1597. Gerarde, Herball, I. ci. 166. *Souldiers Cullions hath many leaues spred vpon the ground, but lesser than the souldiers Satyrion.
1760. J. Lee, Introd. Bot., App. 317. Soldiers Cullions, Orchis.
1601. Holland, Pliny, II. 204. The herb which they cal Militaris [marg. The *soulders hearbe].
1611. Florio, Herba militare, the souldiers hearbe.
1893. Dunglisons Dict. Med. Sci., Matico, *Soldiers tea or herb; South American herb, order Piperaceæ.
1851. Dunglison, Ibid. (ed. 4), *Soldiers weed [1893 wood], Matico.
1866. Sowerbys Eng. Bot., V. 58. It [yarrow] was formerly esteemed as a vulnerary, and its old names of *soldiers wound-wort and knights milfoil bear witness to this.
1578. Lyte, Dodoens, I. ci. 143. The second is called in English *souldiers Yerrow.
1597. Gerarde, Herball, II. cclxxxv. 677. Militaris aquatica, and Militaris Aizoides, or Soldiers Yarrow.