shoe-leather

Etymology
.

Noun

 * 1)  Leather that is used to make shoes.
 * 2) * 1948, R. Turner Wilcox, “Twentieth-century Footwear”, in The Mode in Footwear, New York, N.Y.:, 1356620 ; republished as The Mode in Footwear: A Historical Survey with 53 Plates, Mineola, N.Y.: , 2008, ISBN 978-0-486-46761-0 , page 154:
 * Notable in feminine footgear of the first two decades was the increasing number of different shoe leathers consisting of box calf, white calf, colored kids, buck and antelope.
 * 1)  Leather from which shoes are made that is worn out through walking.
 * 2)   The sweat of one's brow; effort; investigatory effort.
 * 3)  Tough meat, especially cheap meat.
 * 1)  Leather from which shoes are made that is worn out through walking.
 * 2)   The sweat of one's brow; effort; investigatory effort.
 * 3)  Tough meat, especially cheap meat.
 * 1)   The sweat of one's brow; effort; investigatory effort.
 * 2)  Tough meat, especially cheap meat.
 * 1)   The sweat of one's brow; effort; investigatory effort.
 * 2)  Tough meat, especially cheap meat.
 * 1)  Tough meat, especially cheap meat.

Adjective

 * 1) Basic, old-fashioned or traditional; specifically  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.