field officer
‘An officer above the rank of captain, and under that of general’ (Stocqueler).
| 1656 J. Harrington Oceana 127 A..field-officer shall be elected..by the Scruteny of the Council of War. 1724 Lond. Gaz. No. 6310/2 All the Field Officers having the Honour of being admitted to his Table. 1804 Wellington in Gurw. Desp. III. 549 A field officer shall not hold an office upon the staff. 1860 Tyndall Glac. 138 One peak stood like a field-officer with his cap raised above his head. |
Hence field-ˈofficerism.
| 1837 Carlyle Fr. Rev. (1857) II. iii. v. vi. 310 Spanish Field-officerism struck mute at such cat-o'-mountain spirit. |