footpadding

English

Verb

footpadding

1. present participle and gerund of footpad

Noun

footpadding (plural footpaddings)

1. The crime of robbing of travelers on the road; footpaddery.
   • 1847, George Payne Rainsford James, The King's Highway: A Novel, page 178:

     This footpadding is only done just for a bit of amusement, and because the colonel is out of the way.

   • 1907, San Francisco Daily Times - Volume 16, page 7:

     The supervisors have been turned out of office, but now that they are not preoccupied with graft they may turn their attention to footpadding or second-story work.

   • 1983, Ray Harrison, French Ordinary Murder, page 118:

     It could just as easily have been a casual footpadding.