| E. Cobham Brewer 1810–1897. Dictionary of Phrase and Fable. 1898. |
| | | Field. (Anglo-Saxon, feld.) | | |
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In agricultural parlance, a field is a portion of land belonging to a farm. | 1 |
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In huntsman’s language, it means all the riders. | 2 |
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In heraldry, it means the entire surface of the shield. | 3 |
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In military language, it means a battle; the place where a battle is fought, or is about to be fought; a campaign. | 4 |
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In sportsmen’s language it means all the horses of any one race. | 5 |
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Against the field. In horse-racing, to bet against the field means to back a particular horse against all the rest entered for the race. | 6 |
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In the field. A competitor for a prize. A term in horse-races, as, so-and-so was in the field. Also in war, as, the French were in the field already. | 7 |
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Master of the field. In military parlance, means the conqueror in a battle. | 8 |
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To keep back the field, is to keep back the riders. | 9 |
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To take the field. To move the army preparatory to battle. | 10 |
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To win the field. To win the battle. | 11 |
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