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Renan torres-rivero Posted 16 years ago
Vocabulary

Expression similar to "Battle Horse" in Spanish

In Spanish, we normally say that a person's "battle horse" (caballo de batalla) is his/her best performed activity or area of expertise which is virtually his/her best presentation card to others. I am interested in the informal form or idiomatic expression. For instance:

"A Civil Engineer who is an expert on Structural Design and has good experience on that." So, his "caballo de batalla" is his Structural Design skills apart from the other skills that a Civil Engineer has. So, is it the same meaning "battle horse" to "caballo de batalla" in this context?

Thanks in advance for your clear and kind explanations.

RENAN
  

Top answer

Hi, In English, we wouldn't use this expression. You could just say 'his main strength is Structural Design'. Clive

— Clive

  • Hi, In English, we wouldn't use this expression.
  • You could just say 'his main strength is Structural Design'.
  • Clive
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8 Answers
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Hi,

In English, we wouldn't use this expression.

You could just say 'his main strength is Structural Design'.

Clive
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So, there's no idiomatic expression in English that figuratively used would mean "main strength" like in Spanish we say "caballo de batalla" (battle horse)?

Perhaps not with the words "horse" or "battle", but the thing is that I heard that on a conversation with a client from Britain and I couldn't distinguished his exact words. But the context was that of Spanish "caballo de batalla".
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Some people have suggested (on another forum) "Old Reliable", "ace in the hole", and others. But after looking up those expressions in a dictionary, I think they don't get the same idea. Are there other expressions similar?
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Hi,



You could say 'Structural Design is his strong suit'.

'Suit' here refers to the four 'suits' making up a deck of cards.

eg If you have a lot of good diamonds, that's your strong suit, your strength.



Clive
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That's right.

The word was "suit".

Strong suit matches perfetcly.



Thanks a lot!
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Funny. In brazilian portuguese 'Cavalo de Batalha' it's just some issue or question of minor importance that someone rises against a foe, as a matter of personal honor or affirmation. For instance: Pedro did from his right to go to work without wearing socks a 'Cavalo de Batalha' The expression can be applied to important issues too, since someone singles out that special issue among many possible
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renan torres-riveroStrong suit
Consider also "forte".

http://www.merriam-webster.com/dictionary/forte

CJ
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renan torres-rivero"battle horse"
Not to be confused with "warhorse": A musical or dramatic work that has been performed so often that it has become widely familiar.

CJ
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