I. ˈsōl-jər 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.
a. : one engaged in military service and especially in the army
b. : an enlisted man or woman
c. : a skilled warrior
2. : a militant leader, follower, or worker
3.
a. : one of a caste of wingless sterile termites usually differing from workers in larger size and head and long jaws
b. : one of a type of worker ants distinguished by exceptionally large head and jaws
4. ˈsō-jər, ˈsōl- : one who shirks work
• sol·dier·ly -lē adjective or adverb
• sol·dier·ship -ˌship noun
II. intransitive verb
( sol·diered ; sol·dier·ing ˈsōl-jə-riŋ, ˈsōlj-riŋ)
Date: 1647
1.
a. : to serve as a soldier
b. : to behave in a soldierly manner
c. : to push doggedly forward — usually used with on
soldier ed on to the end
2. : to make a pretense of working while really loafing