Field. (Anglo-Saxon, feld.)

In huntsman’s language, it means all the riders.

In heraldry, it means the entire surface of the shield.

In military language, it means a battle; the place where a battle is fought, or is about to be fought; a campaign.

In sportsmen’s language it means all the horses of any one race.

Against the field. In horse-racing, to bet against the field means to back a particular horse against all the rest entered for the race.

In the field. A competitor for a prize. A term in horse-races, as, so-and-so was in the field. Also in war, as, the French were in the field already.

Master of the field. In military parlance, means the conqueror in a battle.

To keep back the field, is to keep back the riders.

To take the field. To move the army preparatory to battle.

To win the field. To win the battle.