ˈrank-and-file, a.
[f. rank and file: rank n.1 5 b.]
a. Mil. Of or belonging to the rank and file; private; ordinary.
| 1885 [see chew v. 3 g]. 1904 Westm. Gaz. 27 Feb. 2/3 Those who know the rank-and-file men of the Russian army will agree. 1907 Daily Chron. 19 Dec. 3/3 The memoirs of a rank-and-file man like this are very touching and painful reading. 1966 Times 9 July 9/7 Command Orders say..Rank and File Mess is altered to ‘soldiers' mess’. |
b. transf. Of, pertaining to, or designating an ordinary member of a group (as a political party, union, etc.) as opp. to a leader or principal.
| 1887 Century Mag. Nov. 42/1 Some rank-and-file chairs besides. 1931 Times Lit. Suppl. 4 June 437/2 He always assumed that the rank-and-file politician was actuated by his own high motives. 1945 Koestler Yogi & Commissar iii. i. 131 The absence of any rank-and-file influence on the party-line. 1955 Times 2 May 17/4 He came in for much criticism for not being in touch with the rank-and-file members of his union. 1974 Times 19 Sept. 1/1 No party leader or rank-and-file MP can exclude..the possibility..that..the electorate may once again create a parliamentary deadlock. 1976 Church Times 15 Oct. 13/1 More than twenty years ago a refreshing, highly competent and, for rank-and-file Christians in the parishes, most stimulating and encouraging publishing event took place. 1977 Times 7 Sept. 4/3 That might be because many rank-and-file union members are unenthusiastic about the so-called war on Grunwick. |