A powerful horse ridden in war by a knight or trooper; a charger.
1653. W. Ramesey, Astrol. Restored, 184. In buying of Arms, War-horses, or Instruments of War.
1688. R. Holme, Armoury, II. 150/2. Warr Horses, such as are trained and brought up not … to run back at the rattling of Drums, [etc.].
1709. Steele, Tatler, No. 61, ¶ 6. A War-Horse belonging to one of the Colonels of the Artillery, to be Let or Sold.
1814. Scott, Lord of Isles, I. xv. So chafes the war-horse in his might, That fieldward bears some valiant knight.
1845. D. Jerrold, St. Giles, xx. The old war-horse pricks his ears at the murderous music of the trumpet.
1883. J. Parker, Apost. Life, II. 174. The war-horse will pay when he can no longer stand.
b. fig. A veteran soldier or politician; a person full of warlike memories.
1884. American, VIII. 291. Which reminds us of the well-known admission of the party ‘war-horse’ that he would vote for the enemy of mankind if he got the ‘regular’ nomination.
1902. Daily Chron., 26 April, 5/1. That old political war-horse … Sir George Dibbs.
