rank and file

rank and file
rank and file
1. Lit. regular soldiers, not the officers. •

I think there is low morale among the rank and file, sir.

The rank and file usually do exactly as they are told.

2. Fig. the ordinary members of a group, not the leaders. •

The rank and file will vote on the proposed contract tomorrow.

The last contract was turned down by the rank and file last year.

* * *
{n. phr.} Ordinary people; the regular membership of an organization; the enlisted privates in the Army. * /The general usually inspects the rank and file on specific national holidays./ * /The secretary of the association sends letters annually to the rank and file./

Dictionary of American idioms. 2013.

Игры ⚽ Нужно решить контрольную?
Synonyms:
, (including corporals)


Look at other dictionaries:

  • rank and file — ˌrank and ˈfile noun the rank and file the ordinary members of a union, who are not union officials: • So far, leaders are maintaining discipline among the rank and file. rank and file adjective [only before a noun] : • rank and file union… …   Financial and business terms

  • rank-and-file — ˌrank and ˈfile noun the rank and file the ordinary members of a union, who are not union officials: • So far, leaders are maintaining discipline among the rank and file. rank and file adjective [only before a noun] : • rank and file union… …   Financial and business terms

  • rank and file — {n. phr.} Ordinary people; the regular membership of an organization; the enlisted privates in the Army. * /The general usually inspects the rank and file on specific national holidays./ * /The secretary of the association sends letters annually… …   Dictionary of American idioms

  • Rank and file — File File (f[imac]l), n. [F. file row (cf. Pr., Sp., Pg., & It. fila), LL. fila, fr. L. filum a thread. Cf. {Enfilade}, {Filament}, {Fillet}.] 1. An orderly succession; a line; a row; as: (a) (Mil.) A row of soldiers ranged one behind another; in …   The Collaborative International Dictionary of English

  • Rank and file — Rank Rank, n. [OE. renk, reng, OF. renc, F. rang, fr. OHG. hring a circle, a circular row, G. ring. See {Ring}, and cf. {Range}, n. & v.] 1. A row or line; a range; an order; a tier; as, a rank of osiers. [1913 Webster] Many a mountain nigh… …   The Collaborative International Dictionary of English

  • Rank and File — Жанр альт кантри каупанк пост панк новая волна Годы 1981 1987 …   Википедия

  • rank and file — n the rank and file the ordinary members of an organization rather than the leaders ▪ The rank and file of the party had lost confidence in the leadership. >rank and file adj [only before noun] ▪ the rank and file members of the trade union …   Dictionary of contemporary English

  • rank-and-file — adjective rank and file members of the party Thesaurus: general words used to describe rank and statushyponym from an upper class familysynonym Main entry: rank and file …   Useful english dictionary

  • rank´-and-file´ — rank and file, 1. a) common soldiers, not officers, especially those with the rank of corporal or below; ranks. b) the people in a business, labor union, political party, or other institution or group, who are not a part of the management. »Labor …   Useful english dictionary

  • rank and file — rank′ and file′ n. 1) cvb the members of any organization, esp. a union, apart from its leaders or officers 2) cvb mil rank I, 6), a) • Etymology: 1590–1600 rank′ and file′, adj. rank′ and fil′er, n …   From formal English to slang

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