field
field — verb
1. in baseball, cricket, and similar ball games, to catch or stop a ball that the b
in baseball, cricket, and similar ball games, to catch or stop a ball that the batter has hit and send it back toward the main playing area, so that the batting side cannot score additional points
Amelia fielded the ball cleanly and threw it to first base.
field + ball as direct object
The cricket team spent the whole morning practising how to field.
intransitive use: no object after field
Tomás ran quickly to his left and fielded the ball just before the fence.
During the game, Zuri fielded three ground balls without making a single error.
field + specific types of ball (ground balls)
A skilful fielder can catch the ball and return it in one smooth motion.
- field the ball
- field a ground ball
- field a fly ball
- field cleanly
- field well
Grammar Patterns
field + ball / ground ball as direct object
field (no object) meaning to play as a fielder
Usage Note
Most common in baseball and cricket contexts. The transitive form takes the ball as the direct object; the intransitive form describes the general action of playing as a fielder.
Common Mistakes
2. to handle or respond to questions, telephone calls, complaints, or requests, esp
to handle or respond to questions, telephone calls, complaints, or requests, especially when many come at once or in a public setting
The company spokesperson fielded questions from reporters for nearly an hour.
field + questions in a press conference setting
Samir had to field dozens of phone calls after the product recall was announced.
field + phone calls when a large number arrive at once
The airport manager fielded complaints about the delayed flights all morning.
During the debate, each candidate fielded tough questions about economic policy.
field + tough questions in a formal debate setting
The helpline team fielded over three hundred requests on the first day of the promotion.
- field questions
- field phone calls
- field complaints
- field requests
- field enquiries
- handle
more general; does not imply a public or large-volume situation
- respond to
more formal, suggesting a deliberate and careful reply
- deal with
neutral and common; can cover any type of situation or problem
Grammar Patterns
field + noun phrase (questions, calls, complaints, requests)
Usage Note
Often used in professional or public contexts such as press conferences, customer service, and political debates. The subject is typically a person, a spokesperson, or an organisation receiving multiple enquiries.
Common Mistakes
3. to select and dispatch a team, individual player, or working group to compete in
to select and dispatch a team, individual player, or working group to compete in or attend a sporting event, contest, debate, or similar organised occasion
The local football club fielded a strong team for the championship match.
field + team for a sports competition
Our school fielded three players in the regional tennis tournament last spring.
The construction company fielded a group of engineers to work on the new bridge.
extended to non-sports contexts: field + group of professionals
Ziad's team fielded their best lineup for the final game of the season.
The university fielded a debating team for the national competition in Taipei.
field + a team for a non-sports competition (debate)
- field a team
- field a player
- field a lineup
- field a candidate
- field a squad
- send
more general; does not carry the connotation of selection or competition
- put forward
suggests nomination or proposal rather than active participation
- deploy
more formal, with a military or business tone
Grammar Patterns
field + noun phrase (team, players, lineup, group)
Usage Note
Originally a sports term, but commonly extended to any organised event where participants are sent. The object is always a group or an individual representing an organisation.
Common Mistakes
field — noun
1. a piece of farmland in the countryside where people grow crops or raise animals,
a piece of farmland in the countryside where people grow crops or raise animals, often separated by walls or fences
The farmer planted wheat in the field behind his house.
preposition 'in the field' for location
After the heavy rain, the field was too wet for the tractor.
Élise watched the sheep grazing in the field near the river.
Wei's grandfather used this field to grow vegetables every summer.
field + to grow [crop]
The children helped pick corn from the field behind the barn.
- plough a field
- in the field
- across the field
- green field
- wheat field
- corn field
- forest
a large area covered with trees, not open land
Grammar Patterns
[noun] + in/on/across the field
Usage Note
Often used with prepositions like 'in', 'on', or 'across' to describe location or movement. A field is typically found in the countryside, not in a town.
Common Mistakes
2. a real-world setting away from an office, classroom, or laboratory where people
a real-world setting away from an office, classroom, or laboratory where people carry out practical work or collect information
The geology students spent a week doing field work in the mountains.
compound noun: field work
Our professor took the class to the forest for a field study of local plants.
The research team collected water samples during their field visit to the river.
Medical students gain practical experience through field training at village clinics.
field + noun as adjective modifier
The archaeologist found ancient tools while working in the field near Cairo.
- field work
- field study
- field research
- field trip
- in the field
- field visit
- field training
- laboratory
a controlled indoor environment for research, the opposite of field work
Grammar Patterns
in the field
field + noun (field work / field study / field trip)
Usage Note
This sense appears mainly in compound nouns like 'field work', 'field study', 'field trip', and 'field research'. The phrase 'in the field' means working outside the office or lab.
Common Mistakes
3. a flat outdoor area with a grass or artificial surface where people play team sp
a flat outdoor area with a grass or artificial surface where people play team sports like football, rugby, or hockey
The football team practiced on the field every day after school.
preposition 'on the field' for sports
Sofia scored the winning goal on the school's main playing field.
The rugby field was marked with fresh white lines for the weekend match.
Rain flooded the field, so the hockey game was called off.
The school built a new field with artificial grass for outdoor sports.
field + artificial/grass (surface type)
- football field
- playing field
- rugby field
- on the field
- grass field
- artificial field
- mark a field
Grammar Patterns
on the field
[sport] field
Usage Note
Different sports use specific terms: 'football field' or 'pitch' (British), 'rugby field', 'hockey field'. In American English, 'field' is used for most outdoor sports; in British English, 'pitch' is more common for football and rugby.
Common Mistakes
4. the playing area in a sport, especially when referring to players entering or le
the playing area in a sport, especially when referring to players entering or leaving it at the start or end of a game
The crowd cheered loudly as the team took the field for the final match.
fixed phrase: take the field
Noa was nervous as she stepped onto the field for her first big game.
The referee checked the field carefully before allowing the players to enter.
Both teams were already on the field waiting for the whistle to blow.
expression 'on the field' during a match
The injured player had to leave the field and was replaced by a teammate.
- take the field
- leave the field
- on the field
- step onto the field
- enter the field
Grammar Patterns
take the field
on the field
leave the field
Usage Note
This sense is especially common in fixed phrases like 'take the field' (enter at the start of a game) and 'leave the field' (exit due to injury or at the end). Unlike sense 3, this focuses on the field as the competition space during a match.
5. a specific type of work, study, or activity that a person focuses on or is invol
a specific type of work, study, or activity that a person focuses on or is involved in
Professor Chen is a leading expert in the field of molecular biology.
pattern: in the field of [subject]
Lara decided to enter the field of education after teaching in rural schools.
There have been major advances in the field of artificial intelligence recently.
The conference brought together researchers from different fields of science.
plural 'fields' for distinct areas
Amira's work in the field of public health has helped many poor communities.
- field of study
- in the field of
- enter the field
- field of expertise
- leading field
- specialist field
- discipline
a more formal term for a branch of academic study
- domain
an area of knowledge or activity; slightly more formal than field
- branch
a subdivision of a larger area of knowledge
- area
a more general term; 'area of expertise' is common
Grammar Patterns
in the field of [subject]
[noun] + field
Usage Note
Commonly used with the prepositional phrase 'in the field of + [subject]'. Also used as a compound modifier: 'field expert', 'field leader', 'field of study'. Distinguish from sense 6, which refers specifically to one person's area of expertise.
Common Mistakes
6. a particular area of knowledge or work that someone knows a lot about, especiall
a particular area of knowledge or work that someone knows a lot about, especially in negative expressions about lacking expertise
Linguistics is not really my field, so I cannot help with that paper.
negative expression: not my field
Software engineering is her field, and she has worked in it for over a decade.
That question is outside my field, but a physics professor could answer it.
preposition: outside one's field
Ishaan is well known in his field for developing a new teaching method.
Dr. Rivera was praised by experts in her field for the groundbreaking research paper.
expression: experts in one's field
- my field
- her field
- his field
- their field
- not my field
- outside my field
- in one's field
- experts in the field
- speciality
British spelling; a particular area that someone concentrates on or is expert in
- specialty
American spelling of speciality
- area of expertise
a longer, more formal way to express the same idea
Grammar Patterns
possessive + field
[be] + outside/not + possessive + field
Usage Note
This sense almost always appears with a possessive adjective (my, his, her, their) or a genitive noun. The most common phrases are 'not my field', 'outside my field', and 'in her/his field'. Distinguish from sense 5, which is about a general subject area; this sense is about one person's specific expertise.
Common Mistakes
7. all the people, teams, or products that are competing against one another in a r
all the people, teams, or products that are competing against one another in a race, contest, or business sector
This year's marathon has a strong field of over fifty runners from twelve countries.
a strong field of + noun — size/composition of competitors
The company faces a competitive field of tech startups all offering similar products.
A field of twelve horses will race for the championship trophy at the track.
a field of [number] [animals] — horse-race context
The Olympic field included athletes from every continent for the first time this year.
With low prices, the new phone stands out in a crowded field of similar devices.
crowded field — a full/competitive market
- strong field
- competitive field
- crowded field
- field of runners
- field of candidates
- competitors
more direct; lists individual participants rather than the group as a whole
- contestants
used mainly for game shows, competitions, or pageants
- entrants
formal; focuses on the act of entering rather than competing
Grammar Patterns
a/the field of + noun
Usage Note
Commonly used with adjectives like strong, competitive, crowded to describe the size or quality of the competitor group. Often takes a singular verb even when referring to many participants.
Common Mistakes
8. a single unit of information within a database or computer record, used to store
a single unit of information within a database or computer record, used to store one type of data such as a name, number, or date
Each customer record has a field for the postal code and phone number.
field for [data type] — database record structure
The field called "date of birth" must be filled in before you save the form.
Aoi accidentally deleted the email field from the entire customer list.
field + 'deleted from' — data loss scenario
The search tool lets you sort your results by any field in the spreadsheet.
- text field
- input field
- search field
- fill in a field
- required field
Grammar Patterns
field for + noun
field called + noun
Usage Note
In computing, a field is a column in a table or a named data element in a form. Do not confuse with a 'record' (a complete row of fields) or a 'database' (the collection of records).
Common Mistakes
9. a place or area where armed forces fight against each other or where military op
a place or area where armed forces fight against each other or where military operations are carried out
The commander ordered his troops to stay on the field of battle until dawn.
field of battle — fixed expression
Medical teams worked through the night to treat the wounded soldiers on the field.
General Nakamura studied the field carefully before deciding where to position her troops.
After the ceasefire, the field lay silent except for the sound of the wind.
the field — article usage in military narrative
- field of battle
- on the field
- field of war
- battle field
- battlefield
more common in modern English; specifies the exact site of fighting
- combat zone
broader; refers to any area where fighting occurs
- front line
refers to the forward edge of armed conflict
Grammar Patterns
on the field
field of battle
Usage Note
Often used in fixed expressions such as field of battle, field of war, or take the field (to begin military operations). In modern usage, battlefield is more common than field alone for this sense.
10. the area around an object within which a physical force, such as magnetism, grav
the area around an object within which a physical force, such as magnetism, gravity, or electricity, can affect other objects
A compass needle points north because it reacts to the Earth's magnetic field.
magnetic field — most common collocation
The electric field around the copper wire grows stronger as the current increases.
Scientists measured the gravitational field of the moon using data from satellites.
gravitational field — measured via satellite data
Placing two strong magnets close together creates a visible force field between them.
- magnetic field
- electric field
- gravitational field
- force field
- electromagnetic field
Grammar Patterns
[adjective] field
field of + noun
Usage Note
The type of field is always named by the force involved: magnetic field, gravitational field, electric field, electromagnetic field. In physics, this is treated as a region of space with measurable properties at every point.
Common Mistakes
11. an area on land or at sea that contains valuable natural materials such as oil,
an area on land or at sea that contains valuable natural materials such as oil, natural gas, coal, or minerals and is used for extracting them
The company discovered a new oil field beneath the North Sea last year.
oil field — most common collocation
Workers at the gas field operate drilling equipment around the clock every day.
The government opened the coal field for mining after reviewing the environmental report.
coal field — resource-name + field pattern
Felipe studied the geological data before exploring a new gold field in South America.
- oil field
- gas field
- coal field
- gold field
- offshore field
- explore a field
Grammar Patterns
[resource] field
field of + noun
Usage Note
The resource type always precedes the word field: oil field, gas field, gold field, diamond field. This sense is distinct from the suffix -field (as in oilfield or coalfield), which attaches to the resource name to form a compound noun.
Common Mistakes
To make it possible for someone to succeed because others have stopped trying to compete.
The main competitor withdrew, leaving the field clear for Maya's company.
When the other candidates dropped out, they left the field clear for Diego.
To make a situation fair so that everyone has an equal chance to succeed.
The new scholarship program aims to level the playing field for rural students.
Can we level the playing field by providing free training to all applicants?
play the field
idiomTo have romantic or sexual relationships with many different people instead of being with just one.
After his divorce, Brian decided to play the field for a while.
Sara is not ready for a serious relationship; she prefers to play the field.
field — suffix
1. added to the name of a valuable natural substance to form a noun that means a la
added to the name of a valuable natural substance to form a noun that means a large area of land or sea floor where that substance is found and taken out for use
The company discovered a large oilfield beneath the North Sea last year.
suffix: oil + field = undersea oil-reserve area
Ayana's father worked at the coalfield in West Virginia for twenty years.
suffix: coal + field = coal-mining site
The abandoned goldfield near Kalgoorlie still attracts amateur prospectors.
Christopher studied the geology of the saltfield in Utah for his PhD project.
suffix: salt + field = salt-extraction area
A major gasfield discovered off the coast of Mozambique could transform the region's economy.
- oilfield
- coalfield
- goldfield
- gasfield
- saltfield
Grammar Patterns
[resource noun] + field
Usage Note
This suffix always attaches directly to the resource noun to form a closed compound (oilfield, coalfield, gasfield). Do not write the two parts as separate words when using this suffix — that pattern belongs to the related noun sense of 'field' (e.g. a field of oil is not the same as an oilfield). The resource noun that precedes -field is almost always a mineral, fossil fuel, or salt.
Common Mistakes
Word family
- feldernounB1
- fieldingnounB1
- fieldworknounB1
- fieldworkernounB2
- field tripnounA2
- battlefieldnounB2
- field daynounB2
- field goalnounB2
- field hockeynounB1
- outfieldnounB2
- infieldnounB2
- oilfieldnounB2
- coalfieldnounB2
- goldfieldnounC1
- field-testverbB2
- play the fieldidiomC1
Synonym discussion
Sense: noun/5
Field, domain, realm, sphere, and area all refer to a particular branch or scope of knowledge or activity, but they differ in formality and imagery. Field is the most neutral and widely used — a 'field of study' can be anything from archaeology to zoology. Domain carries a sense of ownership or control, as in 'the domain of theoretical physics'; it is often used in computing (domain name) and can sound more formal. Realm historically means a kingdom and still has a regal tone — 'the realm of politics' suggests something vast and imagined rather than practical. Sphere suggests a range of influence or expertise, common in 'sphere of influence' and 'professional sphere'. Area is the most general and informal of the five — 'an area I know little about' feels conversational. For everyday academic contexts, learners should prefer field for general use; use domain when emphasising boundaries or ownership; use realm for broad, abstract subjects; use area for informal or spoken situations; and use sphere when talking about social or professional circles.
Common collocations
Nouns
- field of study
- field of expertise
- field of vision
- field of inquiry
- field of research
- field of battle
- field of play
- field of candidates
- field of competitors
- field of science
- field of medicine
- field of education
Phrases
- in the field (working in a real environment, not in an office or lab)
- take the field (enter the playing area to start a game or military operation)
- leave the field (exit the playing area, especially due to injury)
- play the field (date many different people; also used literally: participate across a range)
- a level playing field (a situation where everyone has an equal chance of success)
- have a field day (enjoy a great opportunity for doing something, often in a lively or critical way)
- field of dreams (a place or situation where one's hopes or ambitions are fulfilled)
- lead the field (be the best or most advanced in a particular area)
- a strong field (a large or impressive group of competitors)
- field of fire (the area a weapon can reach in military contexts)
Prepositions
- in the field
- on the field
- across the field
- out of the field
- in the field of
- outside one's field
Etymology
Field comes from the Old English word feld, meaning 'open land, plain, or pasture' — a piece of land without trees or buildings. It traces further back to Proto-West Germanic *felþu and Proto-Germanic *felþą, both meaning 'flat land, open country'. The word is related to Dutch veld and German Feld. The original farmland sense (A2) developed in early medieval English. From the 13th century, field began to be used for a battlefield and then for a sports playing area (14th century). The academic sense — 'a field of knowledge' — emerged in the 16th century, drawing on the metaphor of a bounded area of study. The physics sense (electric/magnetic field) dates from the mid-19th century with the rise of field theory in science. The computing sense (a database field) appeared in the mid-20th century. The suffix -field (as in oilfield, coalfield) developed in the 19th century from the natural-resource noun sense.