Soldier, 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.].

One who is engaged in military service as an officer or a private; one who serves in an army; one of an organized body of combatants. [1913 Webster]
"I am a soldier and unapt to weep." [1913 Webster]
Especially, a private in military service, as distinguished from an officer. [1913 Webster]
"It were meet that any one, before he came to be a captain, should have been a soldier." [1913 Webster]
A brave warrior; a man of military experience and skill, or a man of distinguished valor; -- used by way of emphasis or distinction. Shak. [1913 Webster]
The red or cuckoo gurnard (Trigla pini.) [1913 Webster]
One of the asexual polymorphic forms of white ants, or termites, in which the head and jaws are very large and strong. The soldiers serve to defend the nest. See Termite. [1913 Webster]

Soldier beetle (Zoöl.), an American carabid beetle (Chauliognathus Americanus) whose larva feeds upon other insects, such as the plum curculio. -- Soldier bug (Zoöl.), any hemipterous insect of the genus Podisus and allied genera, as the spined soldier bug (Podius spinosus). These bugs suck the blood of other insects. -- Soldier crab (Zoöl.) (a) The hermit crab. (b) The fiddler crab. -- Soldier fish (Zoöl.), a bright-colored etheostomoid fish (Etheostoma cœruleum) found in the Mississippi River; -- called also blue darter, and rainbow darter. -- Soldier fly (Zoöl.), any one of numerous species of small dipterous flies of the genus Stratyomys and allied genera. They are often bright green, with a metallic luster, and are ornamented on the sides of the back with markings of yellow, like epaulets or shoulder straps. -- Soldier moth (Zoöl.), a large geometrid moth (Euschema militaris), having the wings bright yellow with bluish black lines and spots. -- Soldier orchis (Bot.), a kind of orchis (Orchis militaris).

Soldier, v. i.

To serve as a soldier. [1913 Webster]
To make a pretense of doing something, or of performing any task. [1913 Webster]
" In this sense the vulgar pronounciation (s is jocosely preserved." [1913 Webster]

"It needs an opera glass to discover whether the leaders are pulling, or only soldiering." [1913 Webster]

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OXFORD DICTIONARY

Soldier, n. & v.
--n.
1 a person serving in or having served in an army.
2 (in full common soldier) a private or NCO in an army.
3 a military commander of specified ability (a great soldier).
4 (in full soldier ant) a wingless ant or termite with a large head and jaws for fighting in defence of its colony.
5 (in full soldier beetle) a reddish-coloured beetle, Rhagonycha fulva, with flesh-eating larvae.
--v.intr. serve as a soldier (was off soldiering).

Idiom

soldier of Christ an active or proselytizing Christian. soldier of fortune an adventurous person ready to take service under any State or person; a mercenary. soldier on colloq. persevere doggedly.

Derivative

soldierly adj. soldiership n.

Etymology

ME souder etc. f. OF soudier, soldier f. soulde (soldier's) pay f. L solidus: see SOLIDUS

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THESAURUS

Soldier

Amazon, GI, Tommy Atkins, aggressive, air serviceman, ant, army ant, bear arms, black ant, bold, brave, cannon fodder, carpenter ant, carry arms, clock watcher, combative, condottiere, continue, courageous, dauntless, do active duty, do duty, dodge, dog it, dogface, doughboy, doughfoot, drive, drudge, duck, duck duty, emmet, endure, enlisted man, eye-servant, fearless, fighter, fighting man, fire ant, food for powder, free lance, get out of, goldbrick, goldbricker, goof off, grind, guerrilla, halberdier, hoplite, house ant, infantryman, intrepid, keep at, keep going, keep on, legionary, malinger, malingerer, man-at-arms, martial, mercenary, militant, military man, navy man, not pull fair, old soldier, partisan, persevere, persist, pikeman, pismire, pugnacious, queen, recruit, red ant, rifle, rifleman, serve, serviceman, shirk, shirker, shoulder a gun, shoulder arms, skulk, skulker, slack, slacker, slave ant, slide out of, slip out of, sneak out of, soldier of fortune, soldierly, spearman, stalwart, supporter, swaddy, sweat, tax dodger, termite, trooper, truant, unafraid, valiant, valorous, warlike, warrior, warrioress, wear the uniform, welsh, welsher, worker

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ROGET THESAURUS

Soldier

Combatant

N combatant, disputant, controversialist, polemic, litigant, belligerent, competitor, rival, corrival, fighter, assailant, champion, Paladin, mosstrooper, swashbuckler fire eater, duelist, bully, bludgeon man, rough, prize fighter, pugilist, boxer, bruiser, the fancy, gladiator, athlete, wrestler, fighting-cock, game-cock, warrior, soldier, fighting man, Amazon, man at arms, armigerent, campaigner, veteran, swordsman, sabreur, redcoat, military man, Rajput, armed force, troops, soldiery, military forces, sabaoth, the army, standing army, regulars, the line, troops of the line, militia, yeomanry, volunteers, trainband, fencible, auxiliary, bersagliere, brave, garde-nationale, garde-royale, minuteman, auxiliary forces, reserve forces, reserves, posse comitatus, national guard, gendarme, beefeater, guards, guardsman, yeomen of the guard, life guards, household troops, janissary, myrmidon, Mama, Mameluke, spahee, spahi, Cossack, Croat, Pandoz, irregular, guerilla, partisan, condottiere, franctireur, tirailleur, bashi-bazouk, vietminh, vietcong, shining path, contras, huk, hukbalahap, mercenary, soldier of fortune, hired gun, gunfighter, gunslinger, bushwhacker, free lance, companion, Hessian, hit man torpedo, soldier, levy, draught, Landwehr, Landsturm, conscript, recruit, cadet, raw levies, infantry, infantryman, private, private soldier, foot soldier, Tommy Atkins, rank and file, peon, trooper, sepoy, legionnaire, legionary, cannon fodder, food for powder, officer, subaltern, ensign, standard bearer, spearman, pikeman, spear bearer, halberdier, lancer, musketeer, carabineer, rifleman, jager, sharpshooter, yager, skirmisher, grenadier, fusileer, archer, bowman, horse and foot, horse soldier, cavalry, horse, artillery, horse artillery, light horse, voltigeur, uhlan, mounted rifles, dragoon, hussar, light dragoon, heavy dragoon, heavy, cuirassier, Foot Guards, Horse Guards, gunner, cannoneer, bombardier, artilleryman, matross, sapper, sapper and miner, engineer, light infantry, rifles, chasseur, zouave, military train, coolie, army, corps d'armee, host, division, battalia, column, wing, detachment, garrison, flying column, brigade, regiment, corps, battalion, sotnia, squadron, company, platoon, battery, subdivision, section, squad, piquet, picket, guard, rank, file, legion, phalanx, cohort, cloud of skirmishers, war horse, charger, destrier, marine, man-of-war's man, navy, wooden walls, naval forces, fleet, flotilla, armada, squadron, man-of-war, destroyer, submarine, minesweeper, torpedo-boat, torpedo-destroyer, patrol torpedo boat, PT boat, torpedo- catcher, war castle, H, M, S, battleship, battle wagon, dreadnought, line of battle ship, ship of the line, aircraft carrier, carrier, flattop, helicopter carrier, missile platform, missile boat, ironclad, turret ship, ram, monitor, floating battery, first- rate, frigate, sloop of war, corvette, gunboat, bomb vessel, flagship, guard ship, cruiser, armored cruiser, protected cruiser, privateer, tender, store ship, troop ship, transport, catamaran, merchant marine, combatant, disputant, controversialist, polemic, litigant, belligerent, competitor, rival, corrival, fighter, assailant, champion, Paladin, mosstrooper, swashbuckler fire eater, duelist, bully, bludgeon man, rough, prize fighter, pugilist, boxer, bruiser, the fancy, gladiator, athlete, wrestler, fighting-cock, game-cock, warrior, soldier, fighting man, Amazon, man at arms, armigerent, campaigner, veteran, swordsman, sabreur, redcoat, military man, Rajput, armed force, troops, soldiery, military forces, sabaoth, the army, standing army, regulars, the line, troops of the line, militia, yeomanry, volunteers, trainband, fencible, auxiliary, bersagliere, brave, garde-nationale, garde-royale, minuteman, auxiliary forces, reserve forces, reserves, posse comitatus, national guard, gendarme, beefeater, guards, guardsman, yeomen of the guard, life guards, household troops, janissary, myrmidon, Mama, Mameluke, spahee, spahi, Cossack, Croat, Pandoz, irregular, guerilla, partisan, condottiere, franctireur, tirailleur, bashi-bazouk, vietminh, vietcong, shining path, contras, huk, hukbalahap, mercenary, soldier of fortune, hired gun, gunfighter, gunslinger, bushwhacker, free lance, companion, Hessian, hit man torpedo, soldier, levy, draught, Landwehr, Landsturm, conscript, recruit, cadet, raw levies, infantry, infantryman, private, private soldier, foot soldier, Tommy Atkins, rank and file, peon, trooper, sepoy, legionnaire, legionary, cannon fodder, food for powder, officer, subaltern, ensign, standard bearer, spearman, pikeman, spear bearer, halberdier, lancer, musketeer, carabineer, rifleman, jager, sharpshooter, yager, skirmisher, grenadier, fusileer, archer, bowman, horse and foot, horse soldier, cavalry, horse, artillery, horse artillery, light horse, voltigeur, uhlan, mounted rifles, dragoon, hussar, light dragoon, heavy dragoon, heavy, cuirassier, Foot Guards, Horse Guards, gunner, cannoneer, bombardier, artilleryman, matross, sapper, sapper and miner, engineer, light infantry, rifles, chasseur, zouave, military train, coolie, army, corps d'armee, host, division, battalia, column, wing, detachment, garrison, flying column, brigade, regiment, corps, battalion, sotnia, squadron, company, platoon, battery, subdivision, section, squad, piquet, picket, guard, rank, file, legion, phalanx, cohort, cloud of skirmishers, war horse, charger, destrier, marine, man-of-war's man, navy, wooden walls, naval forces, fleet, flotilla, armada, squadron, man-of-war, destroyer, submarine, minesweeper, torpedo-boat, torpedo-destroyer, patrol torpedo boat, PT boat, torpedo- catcher, war castle, H, M, S, battleship, battle wagon, dreadnought, line of battle ship, ship of the line, aircraft carrier, carrier, flattop, helicopter carrier, missile platform, missile boat, ironclad, turret ship, ram, monitor, floating battery, first- rate, frigate, sloop of war, corvette, gunboat, bomb vessel, flagship, guard ship, cruiser, armored cruiser, protected cruiser, privateer, tender, store ship, troop ship, transport, catamaran, merchant marine.

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