n. [ OE. souldier, soudiour, souder, OF. soldier, soldoier, soldeier, sodoier, soudoier, soudier, fr. L. solidus a piece of money (hence applied to the pay of a soldier), fr. solidus solid. See Solid, and cf. Sold, n. ]
I am a soldier and unapt to weep. Shak. [ 1913 Webster ]
It were meet that any one, before he came to be a captain, should have been a soldier. Spenser. [ 1913 Webster ]
Soldier beetle (Zool.),
Soldier bug (Zool.),
Soldier crab (Zool.)
Soldier fish (Zool.),
Soldier fly (Zool.),
Soldier moth (Zool.),
Soldier orchis (Bot.),
v. i.
☞ In this sense the vulgar pronounciation s jocosely preserved. [ 1913 Webster ]
It needs an opera glass to discover whether the leaders are pulling, or only soldiering. C. D. Warner. [ 1913 Webster ]
n. A female soldier. [ Obs. ] [ 1913 Webster ]
n.
a. Like a soldier; soldierly. [ 1913 Webster ]
a. Like or becoming a real soldier; brave; martial; heroic; honorable; soldierlike. “Soldierly discipline.” Sir P. Sidney. [ 1913 Webster ]
n. Military qualities or state; martial skill; behavior becoming a soldier. [ R. ] Shak. [ 1913 Webster ]
n. (Bot.) A showy leguminous plant (Calliandra purpurea) of the West Indies. The flowers have long tassels of purple stamens. [ 1913 Webster ]
n.
A camp of faithful soldiery. Milton. [ 1913 Webster ]