A force serving on land; a military as opposed to a naval force. Also pl. the troops or soldiers composing such a force.
1614. Raleigh, Hist. World, III. (1634), 73. The Navie of Athens over-threw the fleet of Xerxes, whose Land-forces were soone after discomfited by them.
1790. Beatson, Nav. & Mil. Mem., II. 191. Having on board near 3,000 land-forces.
1849. Grote, Greece, II. xxxviii. V. 38. He surveyed his masses of land-force covering the shore.