as ever trod shoe leather

See also: as ever trod shoe-leather

English

Phrase

as ever trod shoe leather

1. (idiomatic, archaic) Alternative form of as ever trod shoe-leather
   • 1809 February, E[nos] Bronson et al., “On the Marriage Manufactory at Gretna Green”, in Select Reviews, and Spirit of the Foreign Magazines, volume I, Philadelphia, Pa.: From the Lorenzo Press of E. Bronson; published by Hopkins and Earle, […], →OCLC, page 118:

     As handsome a gentleman, to be sure, as ever trod shoe leather! I wonder that old folks can be so very, very blind!

   • 1825, [John Neal], chapter XXVI, in Brother Jonathan: Or, The New Englanders: In Three Volumes, volume II, Edinburgh: William Blackwood; London: T[homas] Cadell, […], →OCLC, page 446:

     "He is a brave Indian, sir." – "Oh – is that all?" – "As brave a man, as ever trod shoe leather." – "Hum!" – "Yes." – "But Indians – do they tread shoe leather?" – "He's very brave, I mean – very." – "Why not say so, then?" – "I do."

   • 1830, [Theodore Edward Hook], chapter II, in Maxwell. [...] In Three Volumes, volume II, London: Henry Colburn and Richard Bentley, […], →OCLC, pages 54–55:

     [I]t's his temper as has saved his life; he's the best-temperdest cretur as ever trod shoe leather.