to  beat  a dead horse
beat
bi:t
bit
a
ə
ē
dead
dɛd
ded
horse
hɔ:s
haws

Definition & Meaning of "beat a dead horse"in English

to beat a dead horse
01

to waste energy on a lost cause 

Dialectamerican flagAmerican
to [beat] a dead horse definition and meaning
Disapproving
Idiom

What is the origin of the idiom "beat a dead horse" and when to use it?

The origin of the idiom "beat a dead horse" comes from the practice of beating a dead horse in order to make it move, which is obviously futile since the horse is already dead. Today, the idiom is commonly used in a figurative sense, to describe someone who is continuing to pursue a topic or argument that has already been resolved or has lost its relevance. The idiom implies that further effort or discussion is pointless and that it's time to move on to something else.

Examples
Trying to reopen the case now is just beating a dead horse. 
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