What is the relevance a ”field day”?

11 comments

1. It doesn’t really mean a day out or anything related to being out in a field in this context, it’s basically an alternative way to say “they’re gonna go crazy/be super excited about it” or anything along those lines.

   I.e. in the case of the press, it’d be something like information with big breaking news potential. So by them having a field day, it means they’ll really run with it and make a big deal out of it.

2. My guess based on my past. Field day in school was when it was a nice day out so the PE teacher got out all the equipment and let kids go nuts doing whatever they felt like doing outside for the period.

   I’m assuming it’s referring to that level of running wild

3. https://www.etymonline.com/word/field-day

   Nowadays it just means that there will be a lot of activity based on some event.

   So if the “press is going to have a field day with the allegations of the president’s affair” it means they will write a lot of articles and do a lot of research and interviewing to find out everything they can and report on it.

   “Going bananas” is a mystery to me as well. Wait until you find out that “going full ham” is a similar expression. No idea where either comes from.

4. I know in grade school we would usually have 1 day a year where we would just spend most of the day playing and doing activities outside and we would call it “field day”.

   I imagine they use the term for an event where the press can put aside other issues for a short time and put all its focus on this one thing and go wild with it.

5. Field day=Freefor all fun or pleasure.

   The press is an extension of society. Society loves dirt,scandal, drama. A situation arises that gives heaps of juice is going to give the press a field day. A day of free for all fun.

   And free for all means no seclusion, no limiters, all access. And juice ,in this context, is gossip,drama, the “Juicy details” or the “meat” of a story.

6. From [source](https://www.gingersoftware.com/content/phrases/field-day/):

   > The origin of the term ‘field day’ comes from the military and refers to maneuvers that took place in a field, but by the 1800s, the phrase was used to refer to any event that happened in a field, ranging from a hunt to a dance to a picnic to a scientific expedition.

7. So, a field day is a day at school where classes are canceled for the day in favor of games, outside. Lunch was served outside and everything.

   The implication there is that the press is *really* going to enjoy itself, to the point it’s barely even work.

8. I can’t tell you where the term came from or why we use it like this. But in the US it means to have a lot of fun with something. In the context you mentioned, it means the press is going to jump all over a story and talk about it non-stop. It is sarcasm.

9. Field days are usually something schools will have, where the entire day will be spent doing fun, or alternate activities from regular school. These are especially common in elementary and middle schools. Usually they’re days where everyone is outside, doing fun events, sports, competitions, arts and crafts, etc. Sometimes there are themes or competition groups as well with rewards for certain accomplishments or contests.

   When referring to someone having a “field day,” it basically means they are going to have free reign to have fun and exploit everything about whatever is happening, since a “field day” in school is basically a free/fun day.

10. A field day in school was a day where there was a lot of fun activities arranged, usually outside, and everyone was always very excited and full of energy. Colloquially, “having a field day” means being in a situation that is good for you and you are getting things that you want easily. So if the press is having a field day, they are getting a lot of good interviews, or are on the scene for a breaking story, or something like that. Usually when someone is “hank g a field day” they’re excited and happy about it, which is the connection with “going bananas” or going crazy.

    As far as the bananas thing goes, my guess is it’s based on the idea that monkeys love bananas? It could have started out as a phrase about someone acting like a monkey with bananas or something, and then was shortened into “acting bananas” or “going bananas”

11. I think they’re referring to a military “field day” which is an obsessive cleaning day. You clean everything whether it’s dirty or not. You climb into tight spaces and lift heavy stuff to clean under it. This usually happens if you have something important like an inspection or a special guest coming. Some commands do it once a week.

    By this logic, if the press are having a field day, it would mean they’re getting all the information of a big story. They get to investigate things that people don’t want them finding. It’s not necessarily a fun thing, but it’s a big ordeal.