DCHP-2

march ((v.)) [< Cdn F < F marcher walk] DCHP-1 (pre-1967)

• 1 v.

  See 1905 quote.

  See also: mush ((v.))  march ((n.)) (def. 2b)  

  • 1794  (1929)  Camped at Lac la Croix . . . there being no necessity for marching more expeditiously. . . .
  • 1819, 1890  Marched the whole day and did not encamp "until dark"—"To march" is the Canadian term for travelling, and is as frequently, if not oftener, applied to express the progress of a canoe or boat as of a pedestrian.
  • 1905  (1954)  Some peculiar expressions used by the French-Canadians also have vogue in the service--"to march" for instance, generally, is applied to any progression--including canoe and boat travel.

• 2a v. — North imper.

  move ahead! go on! (a command to sled dogs to advance).

  See also: marche(donc)  mush ((v.)) (def. 1)  

  • 1873  (1904)  Once more the sleds were packed, once more the Untiring Cerf-Vola took his place in the leading harness, and the word "march" was given.
  • 1921  "In all sections of Canada east of the Rockies the terms used in driving dogs were taken from the French language--'marche', commonly used as 'march', to start; 'yea' for 'gee' and 'chaw' for 'haw'. In this country west of the mountains they tried to copy from the east, but made a failure. The terms they used are 'mush,'gee' and 'haw.'"
  • 1959  "Redzie, march," Leo barked at him, and that red face turned and gave me an ornery look.

• 2b v.

  drive (dogs); urge (a dog team) on by whip and command.

  See also: mush ((v.)) (def. 3a)  

  • 1959  The trappers, which included Indians, Metis and whites, gathered their supplies, hitched their dog teams, and "marched them" out across the frozen river to their trap lines.