roarer
Preserved but no longer current.
A broken-winded horse; or, in the more polite speech of the stable, "a high blower." ROARING, as applied to horses, is often termed "talking" by turf-men. It is often said delicately by sporting writers, when speaking of a broken-winded racehorse, that "he makes a noise."
Era: ca. 1874 (Victorian)
Sources & notes
Historical definition reproduced from Hotten’s The Slang Dictionary (1874, public domain; Project Gutenberg #42108, retrieved 2026-07-31). Reflects the attitudes of its era.
Common questions
What does “roarer” mean?
A broken-winded horse; or, in the more polite speech of the stable, "a high blower." ROARING, as applied to horses, is often termed "talking" by turf-men. It is often said delicately by sporting writers, when speaking of a broken-winded racehorse, that "he makes a noise."
Is “roarer” formal or informal?
No register label has been reviewed yet — treat it as neutral and check the usage notes above.