warhorse
Học thuậtThân thiện
Definition
- Noun:
- A horse used in war: A horse that is trained for and used in military combat or battle.
- An experienced person: A person who has been through many struggles or has long experience in a particular field, especially one who is dependable and seasoned.
- A standard, frequently performed work: A piece of music, drama, or other artistic work that is considered a classic and is performed very often, sometimes to the point of being overly familiar or clichéd.
Usage Examples
Noun (Horse):
- The general rode his trusted warhorse into battle.
- Medieval knights depended on their strong warhorses.
Noun (Experienced Person):
- The senator is a political warhorse who has served for decades.
- She's a real warhorse of the industry, having seen it through many changes.
Noun (Standard Work):
- Beethoven's Fifth Symphony is a beloved warhorse of the classical repertoire.
- The play has become a theatrical warhorse, performed by every major company.
Advanced Usage
- "Old warhorse": Often used as a term of affection or respect for a veteran person or a reliable, if old-fashioned, thing.
- The old warhorse of a reporter asked the toughest questions.
- That song is an old warhorse, but the crowd still loves it.
Variants and Related Words
- War-horse (noun): An alternative hyphenated spelling of "warhorse."
- Veteran (noun): A person with long experience, especially in military service.
- Staple (noun): A basic or essential item, often used for standard works in a repertoire.
Synonyms
- Steed (noun): A horse, especially one that is spirited or ridden in battle. (Closer synonym for the "horse" meaning).
- Veteran (noun): A person with long experience.
- Standard (noun): Something established as a model or point of reference. (For the artistic work meaning).
- Chestnut (noun, informal): A joke, story, or piece of music that is old and repeated too often. (Similar to the "overly familiar work" sense).
Related Phrases
- Battle-hardened: Made tough and experienced through difficult struggles. (Describes a person similar to a warhorse).
- Tried and true: Proven to be reliable or effective through long experience. (Describes a dependable person or thing, like a warhorse).
Related Idioms
- To trot out the old warhorses: To bring out or perform the familiar, standard works, often implying a lack of new material.
- For the anniversary concert, the orchestra decided to trot out all the old warhorses.
Noun
- horse used in war
- an experienced person who has been through many battles; someone who has given long service
- a work of art (composition or drama) that is part of the standard repertory but has become hackneyed from much repetition