Bang One’s Head Against A Brick Wall

Also:

Beat One’s Head Against a Brick Wall
Bang/beat one’s head against a wall

Meaning of Idiom ‘Bang One’s Head Against a Brick Wall’

To bang one’s head against a (brick) wall means to stubbornly continue trying to achieve an objective that is almost impossible. 1Spears, Richard A. McGraw-Hill’s American Idioms Dictionary. Boston: McGraw Hill, 2008. 2Ayto, John. Oxford Dictionary of English Idioms. Oxford: Oxford U, 2010.

Usage

This idiom is most often used to refer to trying to get another person to do something, such as to understand or accept something you tell them or to take a piece of advice. 3 Kirkpatrick, E. M. Clichés: over 1500 Phrases Explored and Explained. St. Martin’s Press, 1997. For example: “Talking to Tom about managing his money is just banging my head against a brick wall.”

Since it usually refers to ongoing and repeated effort, the present participle banging or beating is usually used. Present and past forms are also used such as in “If you want to bang your head against a wall trying to fix this pile of rust, be my guest.” Other forms are possible but more rarely used.

Examples of Use

“Melissa finally left her husband. She said she was tired of banging her head against a wall trying to get him to change.”

“For years I’ve been beating my head against a brick wall, trying to get this business to turn a profit. I have finally decided to let it go.”

Origin

Used since at least the late 1800’s.

The allusion here is simple. Banging one’s head against a wall is a self-destructive activity which serves no purpose but to bring one pain and injury.

25 Body Parts Idioms | Idioms Online Video

Want to see more videos from Idioms.Online? Subscribe to our YouTube channel!

More Idioms Starting with B

• Bigger Fish to Fry (to have)
• Blow My Mind
• Bookworm
• Blow Off Steam
• Bury the Hatchet

More Bang Idioms

More Body Part Idioms

• Twist Someone’s Arm
• Pull Someone’s Leg
• Watch Your Mouth
• Turn a Blind Eye
• Have Something Hanging Over Your Head

More Brick Idioms

• Run Into a Brick Wall
• Built Like a Brick Shithouse

More Head Idioms

• Have Something Hanging Over Your Head
• Hard-Headed
• Running Around Like a Chicken With its Head Cut Off
• Off the Top Of My Head
• Hit the Nail On the Head

More Wall Idioms

• Run Into a Brick Wall
• Writing On the Wall

This page contains one or more affiliate links. See full affiliate disclosure.

YouTube and Facebook Group

• 
•