A highwayman or robber who operates on foot rather than on horseback; also, a cushioned pad worn on the sole of a shoe.
From foot + pad (a traveling vagrant or someone on foot). The term emerged in the 17th-18th centuries as a distinct criminal type—less glamorous than mounted highwaymen but often more ruthless and dangerous.
Footpads were actually feared more than the famous mounted highwaymen because they could ambush you in alleys, move through crowds, disappear into slums where horses couldn't follow, and they were often more desperate and violent than their horseback cousins.
Complete word intelligence in one call. Free tier — 50 lookups/day.