plod

Etymology 1

From Middle English *plodden (found only in derivative plodder), probably originally a splash through water and mud, from plodde, pludde (“a puddle”) (whence modern plud). Compare Scots plod, plodge, plodder, dialectal Dutch plodden, plodderen, dialectal German ploddern, Danish pladder (“mire”).

noun

1. A slow or labored walk or other motion or activity.
   We started at a brisk walk and ended at a plod.

verb

1. (intransitive) To walk or move slowly and heavily or laboriously (+ on, through, over).
2. (transitive) To trudge over or through.
   Quest[ion]. Where was Ioseph? Answ[er]. It may be, he was playing the Carpenter abrode for all their three livings, but sure it is, he was not idlely plodding the streetes, much lesse tipling in the Taverne with our idle swingers. 1596, Henoch Clapham, A Briefe of the Bible, Edinburgh: Robert Walde-grave, page 127
   1799, Matthew Gregory Lewis, The Love of Gain, London: J. Bell, p. 50, lines 449-451, […] Speed thou to Lombard-street, Or plod the gambling 'Change with busy feet, 'Midst Bulls and Bears some false report to spread,
   Break no rosemary, bright with rime And sparkling to the cruel clime; Nor plod the winter land to look For willows in the icy brook To cast them leafless round him […] 1896, A. E. Housman, A Shropshire Lad, London: The Richards Press, XLVI, pp. 69-70
3. To toil; to drudge; especially, to study laboriously and patiently.
   1597, Michael Drayton, “Edward the fourth to Shores wife” in Englands Heroicall Epistles, London: N. Ling, Poore plodding schoolemen, they are farre too low, which by probations, rules and axiom’s goe, He must be still familiar with the skyes, which notes the reuolutions of thine eyes;

Etymology 2

From Middle English plod. Cognate with Danish pladder (“mire”).

noun

1. (obsolete) A puddle.

Etymology 3

From PC Plod.

noun

1. (UK, mildly derogatory, uncountable, usually with "the") the police, police officers
2. (UK, mildly derogatory, countable) a police officer, especially a low-ranking one.