Flog a dead horse Meaning in English
expression
FLAHG uh DED HORSS
FLOG uh DED HAWS
Definition
To waste time or effort on something that has no chance of succeeding or is already finished.
Usage & Nuances
An informal, sometimes humorous idiom; often used to stop repeated discussions or efforts. Common with 'stop' or 'you're just...' Collocates with arguing or trying to fix unsolvable problems. Not literal—never used about animals.
Spanish: insistir en lo imposible - perder el tiempo inútilmentePortuguese (BR): enxugar gelo - insistir em algo inútilPortuguese (PT): insistir no impossível - perder tempo à toaChinese (Simplified): 做无用功 - 徒劳无益Chinese (Traditional): 做無用功 - 徒勞無益Hindi: व्यर्थ प्रयास करना - बेकार की कोशिश करनाArabic: ضرب الميت بالهراوة (مجازاً) - إضاعة الوقت في أمر انتهىBengali: মরা ঘোড়ার পিঠে চাবুক মারা - অর্থহীন চেষ্টা করাRussian: толочь воду в ступе - биться головой об стенуJapanese: 無駄骨を折る - 終わったことを繰り返すVietnamese: dậm chân tại chỗ - làm việc vô íchKorean: 죽은 말을 때리다 - 헛수고하다Turkish: ölmüş atı dövmek - boşuna uğraşmakUrdu: مردہ گھوڑے کو پیٹنا - بے فائدہ کوشش کرناIndonesian: memukul kuda mati - usaha sia-sia
Example Sentences
You are flogging a dead horse by trying to change the rules now.
basic
Stop flogging a dead horse. The decision is final.
basic
If you keep asking, you're just flogging a dead horse.
basic
Honestly, arguing with them is just flogging a dead horse.
natural
We’ve been over this a hundred times—let’s stop flogging a dead horse.
natural
Trying to fix that old car is flogging a dead horse if the engine won’t start.
natural