Footsloggers

Part of speech: noun

Definitions

1. Infantry troops or people who travel by marching on foot over long distances ; workers or travelers who plod wearily through tough, muddy or hard going
2. Men and women who slog along on foot across great distances ; those who trudge tiredly through rough, arduous ground
3. Soldiers marching on foot for long stretches ; individuals who labor onward on foot through difficult, exhausting terrain

Etymology: Footsloggers is the plural of "footslogger," a compound of "foot" and "slogger." The first part needs no explanation, but the second is the more useful clue. A slogger is someone who labours doggedly at a task, and the verb "slog" carries that sense of heavy, persistent effort, often through mud or over rough ground. Put the two together and you get a figure who covers ground on foot without the help of horse, cart or vehicle. The word is applied both to people who walk long distances and to those who push tiredly through difficult terrain, so the image is one of plodding endurance rather than speed or ease.

Synonyms: plodder, trudger, hiker, trekker, marcher