the cavalry
2
5.5
- noun
- /ðə ˈkævəlri/
- Informal
:
la caballería
- He looked hopeless until the cavalry showed up with the correct documents.
- the cavalry has arrived
Examples
-
Whenever we face a tight deadline, we call in the cavalry from other departments.
-
Just when it seemed like everything was going wrong, my friends arrived—the cavalry had come to the rescue.
-
Just when the negotiations fell apart, the cavalry finally arrived to resolve things.
-
Don't worry, the cavalry will be here soon!
-
Just when I thought I was done for, the cavalry arrived!
-
I thought I could handle the project alone, but I really need the cavalry to help me meet the deadline.
-
When the deadline approached and I was struggling, I knew it was time to call in the cavalry.
Synonyms
1
7.7
Help arrives suddenly when it is most needed
Antonyms
How Much Help
Surface Forms
Morphology
the + cavalry
The figurative sense of 'the cavalry' as arriving help or reinforcements is a straightforward extension of the literal noun 'cavalry' (mounted troops who come to aid), and the definite article does not alter this inference. This metaphorical but directly motivated mapping is cross-linguistically familiar, so a B1 learner who knows the constituent 'cavalry' would readily infer the MWE meaning.
Etymology
The cavalry comes from old armies where soldiers on horses, the cavalry, would ride in quickly to help in a battle. That's why calling in 'the cavalry' now means asking for extra 'help' or 'backup'.