English Idioms
Comprehensive resource for understanding and mastering English idioms
Flog a dead horse
Meaning
The idiom "flog a dead horse" means to continue discussing or repeating something that has already been discussed or repeated many times, despite its lack of relevance or interest. It suggests that the speaker is taking an old or outdated topic and beating it to death.
Usage
- She's always flogging the same old political issues during her speeches.
- I can't stand when people flog a dead horse in conversations.
- We need to move on from this topic and stop flogging a dead horse.
- He flogged the same ideas in every interview, making it seem like he had nothing new to say.
- It's time to stop discussing this old issue and start flogging some fresh ideas.
Roots and History
The origin of the idiom is unclear, but one theory suggests that it comes from the practice of beating a dead horse to make it more useful for transportation. However, this theory has been disputed by linguists who claim that the phrase has been in use since the 14th century as a metaphorical expression. The earliest known uses of the idiom are found in Middle English literature and poetry, where it was used to describe someone who is talking about something that has already been discussed or repeated many times.
Synonyms in English
- Beat a dead horse
- Rehash old ideas
- Wring an old towel
- Tired horse syndrome
- Groundhog day effect
Synonyms in other languages
- Spanish: "Morir de la vieja historia" (to die of old history)
- French: "Repeindre le même argument" (to repeat the same argument)
- German: "Für den alten Gedicht die Eier aufbrechen" (to break eggs for the old poem)
- Italian: "Discutere il medesimo tema per l'infinito" (to discuss the same topic for an eternity)
- Chinese: "饭后谈话" (talking about old topics after dinner).