warhorse means any horse used in horse-cavalry, but especially one bearing an armoured knight. It carries an Arena rating of 1589, earned across 11 head-to-head judged battles.
Among words judged in Lexicurio's Arena, warhorse ranks #562 of 17,127 for Most Vivid Words, #696 of 17,134 for Most Malleable Words, #1,404 of 17,126 for Most Elegant Words, #1,530 of 17,142 for Most Ingenious Words.
Why “warhorse” is a great word
A veteran performer, politician, or piece of art, seasoned by long service and frequent revival, whose very dependability can shade into staleness. From the English words 'war' (armed conflict) and 'horse' (equine animal), first recorded in use 1645–55. Unlike a 'novice,' untried and green, or something 'fresh,' bearing the scent of newness, a warhorse is defined by earned resilience and comforting familiarity. It is the politician giving the fiftieth stump speech with unwavering vigor, the symphony closing yet another gala with the 1812 Overture, and the lead actor whose entrance cues a wave of affectionate, pre-emptive applause—a testament to endurance, where familiarity is both the tribute and the trap.
Etymology
From war + horse.
noun
- Any horse used in horse-cavalry, but especially one bearing an armoured knight.
- An experienced person who has been through many battles, situations or contests; someone who has given long service.e.g.“Near-synonym: workhorse”
- A regularly revived theatrical or musical work, as with Hamlet or a Beethoven symphony, or as excerpts thereto. May imply that the work in question has become hackneyed.e.g.“a Wagner warhorse”
Definitions & examples from Wiktionary (CC BY-SA 3.0).
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