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A rustic; a countryman or laborer. "A peasant or churl." Spenser. Your rank is all reversed; let men of cloth Bow to the stalwart churls in overalls. Emerson.

Conducted with secrecy; clandestine; concealed. [Obs.] Not close and clancular, but frank and open. Barrow.

A group of individuals ranked together as possessing common characteristics; as, the different classes of society; the educated class; the lower classes.

ed to authors and works of a like character in any language. In is once raised him to the rank of a legitimate English classic. Macaulay.

Of or relating to the first class or rank, especially in literature or art. Give, as thy last memorial to the age, One classic drama, and reform the stage. Byron. Mr. Greaves may justly be reckoned a classical author on this subject [Roman weights and coins]. Arbuthnot.

To bring together the parts of; to consolidate; as, to close the ranks of an army; -- often used with up.

A coat card. See below. [Obs.] Here's a trick of discarded cards of us! We were ranked with coats as long as old master lived. Massinger. Coat armor. See under Armor. -- Coat of arms (Her.), a translation of the French cotte d'armes, a garment of light material worn over the armor in the 15th and 16th centuries. This…

Being on an equality in rank or power. -- n.

The state of being on an equality, as in rank or power.

An ornament worn round the neck by knights, having on it devises to designate their rank or order.

In some American colleges, a part in exhibitions, assigned for a certain scholarship rank; a designation of rank in collegiate scholarship.

The chief officer of a regiment; an officer ranking next above a lieutenant colonel and next below a brigadier general.

The office, rank, or commission of a colonel.

A body of troops formed in ranks, one behind the other; -- contradistinguished from line. Compare Ploy, and Deploy.

An officer who ranks next below a captain, -- ranking with a lieutenant colonel in the army.

The office or rank of a commander. [Obs.]

A certificate conferring military or naval rank and authority; as, a colonel's commission.

An officer who ranks next above a captain; sometimes, by courtesy, the senior captain of a squadron. The rank of commodore corresponds with that of brigadier general in the army.

The common people; those classes and conditions of people who are below the rank of nobility; the commons. The commonalty, like the nobility, are divided into several degrees. Blackstone. The ancient fare of our kings differed from that of the commonalty in plenteousness only. Landon.

One of the common people; one having no rank of nobility. All below them [the peers] even their children, were commoners, and in the eye law equal to each other. Hallam.