SOLDIER

I. noun Etymology: Middle English soudeour, from Anglo-French soudeer, soudeour mercenary, from soudee shilling's worth, wage, from sou, soud shilling, from Late Latin solidus solidus Date: 14th century 1. one engaged in military service and especially in the army, an enlisted man or woman, a skilled warrior, a militant leader, follower, or worker, 3. one of a caste of wingless sterile termites usually differing from workers in larger size and head and long jaws, one of a type of worker ants distinguished by exceptionally large head and jaws, one who shirks work, ~ly adjective or adverb ~ship noun II. intransitive verb (~ed; ~ing) Date: 1647 1. to serve as a ~, to behave in a ~ly manner, to push doggedly forward, to make a pretense of working while really loafing