v. & n.
v. (plodded, plodding) 1 intr. (often foll. by along, on, etc.) walk doggedly or laboriously; trudge. 2 intr. (often foll. by at) work slowly and steadily. 3 tr. tread or make (one's way) laboriously.
n. the act or a spell of plodding. plodder n. ploddingly adv.
[ 16th c.: prob. imit. ]