foot soldier en · NOUN
Pronunciation
- /fʊt ˈsəʊl.d͡ʒə/ (Received-Pronunciation)
- (Southern-England) audio
- (US) audio
- fo͝ot sōl′jər
- /fʊt ˈsoʊl.d͡ʒəɹ/ (Canada, General-American)
Etymology
From foot + soldier.
Meanings
- A soldier who fights on foot; an infantryman
-
(broadly, figuratively) A rank and file member of an institution, or supporter of a cause.
We are rightfully wary of straight Leftists who didn't give a damn for our struggle until they saw we had build ^([sic]) on our own, and then tried to recruit foot-soldiers from our ranks.
1980 February 9, Scott Tucker, “The Lavender Left”, in Gay Community News, volume 7, number 28, page 5:
Forms
| Spelling | Features | Labels | Source |
|---|---|---|---|
| foot soldiers | Number=Plur | lexicographic |