Definitions

from The Century Dictionary.

  • noun Leather for shoes.
  • noun Shoes, in a general sense, or collectively: as, he wears out plenty of shoe-leather.

from Wiktionary, Creative Commons Attribution/Share-Alike License.

  • noun Leather that is used to make shoes.
  • noun Leather from which shoes are made that is worn out through walking.
  • adjective Basic, old-fashioned or traditional; specifically (journalism) shoe-leather journalism or shoe-leather reporting: journalism involving walking from place to place observing things and speaking to people, rather than sitting indoors at a desk.

Etymologies

from Wiktionary, Creative Commons Attribution/Share-Alike License

shoe + leather

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Examples

  • The trust that viewers placed in him was based on the recognition of his fairness, honesty and strict objectivity. … and of course his long experience as a shoe-leather reporter covering everything from local politics to World War II and its aftermath in the Soviet Union.

    Iconic journalist Walter Cronkite dies at 92 2009

  • Designers and journalists blog, tweet and re-tweet in hopes of building their audiences, but as any shoe-leather reporter, fashion production assistant, or even Malcolm Gladwell can attest, real progress requires real presence.

    Jenni Avins: Fashion, Journalism and Another Social Network Jenni Avins 2010

  • Getty Images David Broder He stood out among political columnists both for his Rolodex and his sheer shoe-leather reporting.

    Top Columnist Knocked On Voters' Doors Stephen Miller 2011

  • The first film, "The Girl With the Dragon Tattoo," directed by Niels Arden Oplev, at least hit its marks: Salander's cyber-hacking complemented Blomkvist's shoe-leather reporting, and vice versa.

    'Hornet's Nest': The Girl With The Dragging Plot 2010

  • The first film, "The Girl With the Dragon Tattoo," directed by Niels Arden Oplev, at least hit its marks: Salander's cyber-hacking complemented Blomkvist's shoe-leather reporting, and vice versa.

    'Hornet's Nest': The Girl With The Dragging Plot 2010

  • His main lawyer, John Dowd, told the jury that the financier built his hedge fund on "shoe-leather research".

    'Biggest insider trading trial since the 80s' begins 2011

  • After days of saturation coverage and some very good shoe-leather reporting, much of this has become clear to the public and national media.

    Loughner's Sickness 2011

  • Jon Huntsman Jr. has staked his presidential hopes on New Hampshire, a strategy akin to Rick Santorum's shoe-leather campaign in Iowa that ultimately proved successful.

    Clock Ticks for Huntsman in New Hampshire Elizabeth Williamson 2012

  • Mr. Dowd said his client ran a legitimate business that used a "mosaic" of research to make trading decisions about companies and "built his success on shoe-leather research."

    Lawyers Make First Pitches to Jurors Chad Bray 2011

  • The first film, "The Girl With the Dragon Tattoo," directed by Niels Arden Oplev, at least hit its marks: Salander's cyber-hacking complemented Blomkvist's shoe-leather reporting, and vice versa.

    'Hornet's Nest': The Girl With The Dragging Plot 2010

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