to have a field day
idiom

- to get a lot of pleasure and enjoyment from doing something — used especially to describe getting enjoyment from criticizing someone, making fun of someone, etc.

Merriam-Webster

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ORIGIN

The term ‘field day’was first used by the military, meaning a day spent in field manoeuvres. The first reference we have is from the London newspaper The Daily Journal, September, 1723:

“Yesterday was Field Day for the Horse in Hide-Park, when one of the four Troops of Guards pass’d in Review there before the several Officers of their own Corps.”

‘Field day’ was a commonly used term in the military throughout the rest of the 18th century. During the 19th century it began to be extended to refer to any event that might happen in a field; for example:

- Hunting: “Sometimes a dance (though rarely on field days, For then the gentlemen were rather tired).” - Lord Byron, Don Juan, 1823

- Scientific expeditions: “We had a delightful field-day in the abbey.” - Sir George Gilbert Scott Recollections, 1878

- Exciting or welcome events: - “Saturday was a considerable field day in Arlington Street, … and a very merry jolly dinner and evening we had.” - Thomas Creevey’s Letters, 1827

In modern times, when used as a figure of speech, “have a field day” refers to a time of great pleasure, activity or opportunity, usually at the expense of something or someone else. For instance, if one sports team thoroughly beats another, the winner “had a field day.”

Politicians in particular, enjoy field days when their opponents do or say something that is cause for criticism. It’s a form of “Schadenfreude”, a German word that has entered the English language, meaning to take pleasure in someone else’s misery.

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Practice OWAD in an English conversation, say something like:

"If news of this scandal ever leaks out, their competitors are going TO HAVE A FIELD DAY.

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Paul Smith