warhorse

or war-horse, war horse

[ wawr-hawrs ]

/ ˈwɔrˌhɔrs /

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See synonyms for: warhorse / warhorses on Thesaurus.com

noun

a horse used in war; charger.

Informal. a veteran, as a soldier or politician, of many struggles and conflicts.

a musical composition, play, etc., that has been seen, heard, or performed excessively.

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Origin of warhorse

First recorded in 1645–55; war¹ + horse

Dictionary.com Unabridged Based on the Random House Unabridged Dictionary, © Random House, Inc. 2023

How to use warhorse in a sentence

My first theater role was War Horse and my first TV role was Game of Thrones.
Kit Harington: Game of Thrones’ Jon Snow Learns to Fight Dirty|Marlow Stern|April 9, 2014|DAILY BEAST
I was doing press for War Horse, and was about to start The Hollow Crown for the BBC and PBS.
Tom Hiddleston On His Rocker-Vampire in ‘Only Lovers Left Alive,’ ‘Thor 2,’ and ‘Avengers 2’|Marlow Stern|September 7, 2013|DAILY BEAST
And, from my work with Ken, I did Midnight in Paris and War Horse.
Tom Hiddleston On His Rocker-Vampire in ‘Only Lovers Left Alive,’ ‘Thor 2,’ and ‘Avengers 2’|Marlow Stern|September 7, 2013|DAILY BEAST
Disney distributes DreamWorks films, including the Spielberg-directed War Horse.
‘John Carter’: Disney’s Quarter-Billion-Dollar Movie Fiasco|Chris Lee|February 21, 2012|DAILY BEAST

Following an award-winning run in London, War Horse arrives stateside this week.
War Horse Rides to Broadway|Lawrence Osborne|April 16, 2011|DAILY BEAST
Bucephalus was a war-horse of a very high spirit, which had been sent to Philip, Alexander's father, when the latter was a boy.
Stories about Animals: with Pictures to Match|Francis C. Woodworth
A great many anecdotes are related of the feats of Bucephalus, as a war-horse.
Stories about Animals: with Pictures to Match|Francis C. Woodworth
If you ask me what horse, I can reply with some pride that it was a war-horse.
The Napoleon of Notting Hill|Gilbert K. Chesterton
And half in anger and half in sadness he called for his war-horse.
Stories of King Arthur's Knights|Mary MacGregor
On his old war horse, Traveller, he rode into Lexington alone to take up his college duties.
Robert E. Lee|Ruth Hill

British Dictionary definitions for warhorse

warhorse

/ (ˈwɔːˌhɔːs) /

noun

a horse used in battle

informal a veteran soldier, politician, or elderly person, esp one who is aggressive

Collins English Dictionary - Complete & Unabridged 2012 Digital Edition © William Collins Sons & Co. Ltd. 1979, 1986 © HarperCollins Publishers 1998, 2000, 2003, 2005, 2006, 2007, 2009, 2012

Cultural definitions for warhorse

war horse

A person or thing that has seen long service or has lived through many hardships and can be relied on: “That teacher is a real war horse; he has seen the dismissal of ten different principals.”

Other Idioms and Phrases with warhorse

war horse

Also, old war horse. A dependable, frequently performed attraction, as in The opera company is doing nothing but old war horses this season, like, Aïda and La Bohème. This term originated in the mid-1600s for a military charger that had been through many battles. In the 1800s it began to be used for human veterans, and in the mid-1900s for popular productions, especially of musical works.

warhorse

or war-horse, war horse

Origin of warhorse

Words related to warhorse

How to use warhorse in a sentence

British Dictionary definitions for warhorse

Cultural definitions for warhorse

Other Idioms and Phrases with warhorse