Dictionary

rank and file en · NOUN

Pronunciation

• (Australia) audio

Meanings

1. (uncountable) Enlisted soldiers in a military organization, as would be arrayed in a grid pattern with ranks and files.
2. (idiomatic, uncountable) The members of an organization, community, etc. who are not in leadership positions.
   • First, a prominent Tory called the party’s rank and file “swivel-eyed loons.” 2013 May 23, Sarah Lyall, “British Leader’s Liberal Turn Sets Off a Rebellion in His Party”, in The New York Times, →ISSN:
   • Overnight, I have joined the rank and file of gym-bound office employees in their sneakers and suits. You know: the ones who walk around trailing sad little bags containing soggy towels and spare shoes and shampoo. 2017 November 16, Jo Ellison, “Help: the gym has turned us into slobs”, in Financial Times:
   • The executives attend meetings in exotic locations while the rank and file stays at headquarters doing the bulk of the work.

Forms

Deriveds

rank-and-filer

Translations (28)

de Basis (non-leaders) · de einfache Soldaten (enlisted soldiers) · de die einfachen Mitglieder (non-leaders) · fi miehistö (non-leaders) · fi rivimiehet (enlisted soldiers) · de die niederen Ränge (non-leaders) · cs řadový zaměstnanec m or (non-leaders) · ja はしくれ (non-leaders) · pt fileiras (enlisted soldiers) · nl manschappen (enlisted soldiers) · ru солдатня (enlisted soldiers) · cs řadový voják (enlisted soldiers) · de Fußvolk (non-leaders) · it milite (enlisted soldiers) · fi rivimiehet (non-leaders) · fi miehistö (enlisted soldiers) · de die breite Masse (non-leaders) · mi akunga (enlisted soldiers) · it bassa forza (non-leaders) · it soldato (enlisted soldiers) · fr piétaille (non-leaders) · fi rivijäsenet (non-leaders) · fr soldats du rang (enlisted soldiers) · mi akunga (non-leaders) · es soldados rasos (enlisted soldiers) · it militare (enlisted soldiers) · de Mannschaften (enlisted soldiers) · pt soldados rasos (enlisted soldiers)