shoe-leather
Leather for the making of shoes; the leather of which (one's) shoes are made.
| 1660 Boyle Spring of Air 13 A sucker,..upon which is nail'd a good thick piece of tan'd shoe Leather. 1818 Lady Morgan Autobiog. (1859) 119 As good a lad as ever stepped in shoe-leather. 1828–32 Webster, Shoe-leather, leather for shoes. 1889 Jessopp Coming of Friars ii. 89 The poor man's loaf was..as tough as his shoe-leather. |
b. put for the wear of shoes in walking.
| 1576 Fleming Panopl. Epist. 319 He counteth me..such a one as is altogether unworthy of a litle shoe leather, when he is sent for. 1675 V. Alsop Anti-sozzo iii. 114 No need to look out, if they had sufficient at Home, they might save Shooe leather. 1874 Ruskin Fors Clav. IV. xliv. 166 He walked to Ulverstone; spent nothing but shoe-leather on the road. |