spur-leather
[f. spur n.1 + leather n. Cf. OE. spurleþer, OHG. sporleder (G. spornleder), MDu. spore-, spoorleder, Da. sporelæder, Sw. sporrlȧder.]
1. A leather strap for securing a spur to the foot.
| 1598 B. Jonson Ev. Man in Hum. ii. i, I could eate my very spur-lethers for anger! 1620 J. Wilkinson Courts Leet 124 No man except he..is worth 200l. in goods ought to weare..girdle, scabberd, or spurleathers. 1673 [R. Leigh] Transp. Reh. 122 When the rats gnaw'd his spur-leathers. 1890 ‘R. Boldrewood’ Col. Reformer (1891) 279 From the well-brushed hat to lower spur-leather..he justified their appreciation. |
2. under spur-leather, a subordinate, an attendant, a menial. Now arch.
| 1685 in Ellis Orig. Lett. Ser. ii. IV. 83 The whole discourse both in the City, and amongst the under-spurr-leathers of the Court, is that Hambden is to die on Friday. 1707 J. Stevens tr. Quevedo's Com. Wks. ii. x, In came a parcel of strapping Scoundrels to wait at Table, whom the topping Bullies call Under-spurleathers. 1717 Dennis Rem. on Pope's Homer P.'s Wks. 1751 V. 112 A notorious idiot,..who from an under⁓spur-leather to the law is become an under-strapper to the playhouse. 1816 Scott Bl. Dwarf xii, I have opened house, not only for the gentry, but for the under spur-leathers whom we must necessarily employ. 1886 Athenæum 4 Sept. 300/1 It was an imitation of Swift's..manner by one of his ‘under spur-leathers’. |