Beat a Dead Horse

Also: flog a dead horse (archaic)

Meaning Of Idiom ‘Beat a Dead Horse’

To beat a dead horse means to continue to discuss an issue that has already been discussed too much and will not result in anything changing; to try to revive or maintain interest in a subject or issue that is hopeless; to repeatedly call attention to something even though it will have no result; to continue talking about something that everyone has already discussed too much; to waste time or effort doing something that has already resulted in repeated failure. 1Ammer, Christine. American Heritage Dictionary of Idioms. Boston: Houghton Mifflin Harcourt, 2013.,2Bengelsdorf, Peter. Idioms in the News – 1,000 Phrases, Real Examples. N.p.: Amz Digital Services, 2012.,3Kirkpatrick, Elizabeth M. The Wordsworth Dictionary of Idioms. Ware: Wordsworth, 1995.,4Heacock, Paul. Cambridge Dictionary of American Idioms]. Cambridge: Cambridge UP, 2010.

The longer phrase ‘not to beat a dead horse’ is often used apologetically before someone talks about an issue that has already been discussed a great deal.

Sentence Examples

“You’re not going to get Joey off the computer by lecturing him. You’re beating a dead horse.”

“Look, you’re beating a dead horse. Nobody is interested in your latest get-rich-quick scheme.”

“Not to beat a dead horse but shouldn’t we consider getting a new car before this one quits completely?”

“I’m going to try one more time to get her to talk to me but I think I’m beating a dead horse.”

Sir, not to beat a dead horse, but if there was ever a time for us to put boots on Saudi sand, I mean, don’t you think this is it?” — The Kingdom (2007)

“Listen, Benny, not to beat a dead horse. What we did down there is what we had to do. Now, I don’t regret it for a second.” — Supernatural: We Need to Talk About Kevin (2012)

“You know, Crystal she… she didn’t deserve what she got.” “Eddie, you’re beating a dead horse. If Harkness whacked her and got away with it that’s his business. We got our own problems.” —  Drop Dead Sexy (2005)

“Let’s give it a quick once-over anyway.Maybe they forgot something.” “You enjoy beating a dead horse, Tubbs?” — Miami Vice: Brother’s Keeper (1984)

“Well, not to beat a dead horse, fellows but what is your favorite kind of sausage? Chicken and apple, breakfast patty…” — King of the Hill: Unfortunate Son (2002)

Origin

According to the American Heritage Dictionary of Idioms, the term ‘dead horse’ was used from the 1600s to mean ‘something of no current value’ and more specifically referred to an advance in pay or other debt that had to be worked off or ‘flogged off.’ 5Ammer, Christine. American Heritage Dictionary of Idioms. Boston: Houghton Mifflin Harcourt, 2013. This recalls a time when many workers, especially sailors, were paid in advance for their first month of work. Therefore, none of their work had any further value and they were ‘flogging the dead horse.’

In gambling, playing a dead horse meant wagering on something that was almost certain to lose. 6Wikipedia contributors. “Flogging a dead horse.” Wikipedia, The Free Encyclopedia. Wikipedia, The Free Encyclopedia, 25 Sep. 2024. Web. 18 Oct. 2024.

The simplest way to understand the idiom is to realize that it comes from a time when ‘flogging’ or beating a horse was an accepted way to compel a horse to go faster. The idiom alludes to the fact that no amount of beating will make a dead horse do any further work.

More Horse Idioms