mud on one's boots

English

Etymology

An allusion to various lines of work where a person is physically present on site, e.g. construction as opposed to architectural design.

Noun

mud on one's boots (uncountable)

1. (figurative) Practical experience.
   • 1966, Teaching Engineering Design: Proceedings of the Conference on the Teaching of Engineering Design held at Scarborough between 13 and April 1966:

     The civil engineer, for all his skills, is still often known as the man with mud on his boots.

   • 2001, Stephen S. Saucerman, Moving to Commercial Construction, page 96:

     I used to place architects on a higher level, well above someone like me who works with his hands and gets mud on his boots.

   • 2008, Kenneth Allinson, Architects and Architecture of London, page 390:

     Cook never attained meaningful practical experience, but Herron loved site mud on his boots.