A black soldier of the United States army who served in the American west in the late 1800's, often as an indian fighter, and usually as part of an all-black troop; -- the name was given by the indians due to their their kinky hair, and the name was believed also to be a compliment on their courage. [ PJC ]

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. ] 1. 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. Shak. [ 1913 Webster ]

2. 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. Spenser. [ 1913 Webster ]

3. 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 ]

4. (Zool.) The red or cuckoo gurnard (Trigla pini.) [ Prov. Eng. ] [ 1913 Webster ]

5. (Zool.) 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 (Zool.), an American carabid beetle (Chauliognathus Americanus) whose larva feeds upon other insects, such as the plum curculio. --
Soldier bug (Zool.), 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 (Zool.) (a) The hermit crab. (b) The fiddler crab. --
Soldier fish (Zool.), a bright-colored etheostomoid fish (Etheostoma coeruleum) found in the Mississippi River; -- called also blue darter, and rainbow darter. --
Soldier fly (Zool.), 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 (Zool.), 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). [ 1913 Webster ]

v. i. 1. To serve as a soldier. [ 1913 Webster ]

2. To make a pretense of doing something, or of performing any task. [ Colloq.U.S. ] [ 1913 Webster ]

☞ In this sense the vulgar pronounciation s jocosely preserved. [ 1913 Webster ]

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

n. A female soldier. [ Obs. ] [ 1913 Webster ]

n. 1. The act of serving as a soldier; the state of being a soldier; the occupation of a soldier. [ 1913 Webster ]

2. The act of feigning to work. See the Note under Soldier, v. i., 2. [ Colloq. U.S. ] [ 1913 Webster ]

a. Like a soldier; soldierly. [ 1913 Webster ]

a. Like or becoming a real soldier; brave; martial; heroic; honorable; soldierlike. “Soldierly discipline.” Sir P. Sidney. [ 1913 Webster ]

n. Military qualities or state; martial skill; behavior becoming a soldier. [ R. ] Shak. [ 1913 Webster ]

n. (Bot.) A showy leguminous plant (Calliandra purpurea) of the West Indies. The flowers have long tassels of purple stamens. [ 1913 Webster ]

n. 1. A body of soldiers; soldiers, collectivelly; the military. [ 1913 Webster ]

A camp of faithful soldiery. Milton. [ 1913 Webster ]

2. Military service. [ Obs. ] Sir P. Sidney. [ 1913 Webster ]

a. Not equipped like a soldier; unsoldierlike. [ Obs. ] J. Fletcher. [ 1913 Webster ]

(Bot.) An aquatic European plant (Stratiotes aloides) with bayonet-shaped leaves. [ 1913 Webster ]