war-horse

[ wawr-hawrs ]
/ ˈwɔrˌhɔrs /
SEE SYNONYMS FOR war-horse 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.

Origin of war-horse

First recorded in 1645–55; war1 + horse

Words nearby war-horse

war room, war story, war surplus, war whoop, war zone, war-horse, war-weary, war., waragi, warangal, waratah

Words related to war horse

experienced, talented, capable, efficient, knowledgeable, proficient, licensed, accomplished, trained, equipped, competent, adequate, disciplined, certified, proved, tried, fit, tested, practiced, fitted

Cultural definitions for war horse

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.”

Idioms and Phrases with war horse

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.