What is the meaning of beating a dead horse?
1 : to keep talking about a subject that has already been discussed or decided I don’t mean to beat a dead horse, but I still don’t understand what happened. 2 : to waste time and effort trying to do something that is impossible Is it just beating a dead horse to ask for another recount of the votes?
What can I say instead of beating a dead horse?
synonyms for beat a dead horse
- belabor.
- dwell upon.
- flog a dead horse.
- harp on.
- linger over.
What is the origin of the term beating a dead horse?
The Origin of ‘Beating a Dead Horse’: Well, during a horse race, a jockey may have access to a riding crop, which kind of looks like a miniature whip. The jockey uses the riding crop to hit or “beat” the horse on the thigh in an effort to get them running faster.
Who first said beating a dead horse?
Rumored to be first used and popularized by English politician John Bright in the mid 19th century, the first recorded use of the phrase was in 1859, where a journalist wrote in the London newspaper Watchman and Wesleyan Advertiser: “It was notorious that Mr.
Why can’t you look a gift horse in the mouth?
Yes, a horse’s age can be deduced by inspecting its teeth. The longer the teeth, the older the horse. Thus, looking a gift horse in the mouth would be considered rude because the person is essentially examining the horse to check how old it is. If the horse was too old, maybe they wouldn’t even want it.
What does dwell upon mean?
Definition of dwell on/upon : to think or talk about (something) for a long time There is no need to dwell on the past. Don’t dwell upon your mistakes.
What is the meaning of the idiom beating around the bush?
to avoid giving a definite answer or position. Please stop beating around the bush and tell me the full story.
What does keep an eye on him mean?
watch it carefully
When we keep an eye on someone or something, we watch it carefully. Example Sentences: “I’ve been putting on a lot of weight. I need to keep an eye on what I eat.” “The teachers were keeping an eye on him during the test because they thought he might cheat.”