field of fire
Preserved but no longer current.
Meaning · English
(Mil.). That part of the terrain before infantry or machine guns which their weapons can coyer — i.e. which is not inter- rupted by woods, buildings, or the contours of the ground.
Era: ca. 1898 (Victorian)
Sources & notes
Reproduced from Brewer’s Dictionary of Phrase and Fable (1898 edition, public domain; archive.org, retrieved 2026-07-31; OCR text, minor errors possible). Reflects the scholarship and attitudes of its era.
Common questions
What does “field of fire” mean?
(Mil.). That part of the terrain before infantry or machine guns which their weapons can coyer — i.e. which is not inter- rupted by woods, buildings, or the contours of the ground.
Is “field of fire” formal or informal?
No register label has been reviewed yet — treat it as neutral and check the usage notes above.