English

Alternative forms

• oat-opera
• oater

Noun

oat opera ‎(plural oat operas)

1. (idiomatic) A, film, or novel depicting adventures of characters in the American Old West; a western.
   • 1989, The Time Out Film Guide (retrieved 21 Nov. 2012):

     A queasy combination of classic Wayne oat opera and happy jalopy jokiness a la Butch Cassidy and the Sundance Kid.

   • 1949, "Shows Rank High, But Net Lacks Control," The Billboard, 12 Feb. (retrieved 21 Nov. 2012):

     The fourth of the shows directly under the NBC wing is the Hopalong Cassidy oat opera film series (see box on this page).

   • 1961, National 4-H Club News. (retrieved 21 Nov. 2012):

     WITH THE THUNDER of boots setting the stage, a group of hard-riding horsemen burses into view. This is not a new oat opera on TV, but a group which combines love of 4-H with love of horses--the Perry County Boots and Saddle 4-H Club.

Synonyms

• (theatrical production, film, etc. depicting the Old West): oater
• horse opera