Idiom
Beat a dead horse
To beat a dead horse means to keep arguing about or pushing something that is already settled or cannot change.
How people use it
People say this when someone keeps raising a point that everyone has already accepted, or keeps trying something that has no hope. It often comes as an apology: "I don't want to beat a dead horse, but..." It is informal and mildly critical. British speakers more often say "flog a dead horse." The image is unpleasant if you think about it, but the phrase is very common and not meant cruelly.
Also said: flog a dead horse.
Examples
- Let's not beat a dead horse, since the team already voted on the logo.
- I know I'm beating a dead horse, but please lock the back door.
- Asking the landlord again would be beating a dead horse, because he said no twice.
Where it comes from
The image is of whipping a horse that is already dead to make it move, which is completely pointless. The British form, "flog a dead horse," was used in the middle of the 1800s, often in debates about causes that had no chance of success. The American version, "beat a dead horse," became common later.
Check yourself
1. If your coworker says you are beating a dead horse, what does she mean?
Answer: You keep pushing a point that is already settled. The idiom describes pointless effort on a closed issue.
2. Which sentence uses the idiom correctly?
Answer: The trip is canceled, so arguing about hotels is beating a dead horse.. Discussing hotels for a canceled trip is pointless.
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