Dictionary.com
definitions

beat one's head against the wall

Also, bang or run one's head against or into a brick wall. Waste one's time in a hopeless enterprise, as in I have tried many times to convince him to stop smoking, but I'm beating my head against a brick wall. The metaphoric phrase alludes to a physical expression of frustration. [Late 1500s] Also see beat the air.

RELATED CONTENT

fall of the Berlin WallRead more in this article about some frequently asked questions and fun facts related to our definitions.
READ MORE
What’s The #’s Real Name?How do we currently use the # symbol? On Twitter, Facebook, and Instagram, you tag your friends with the @ symbol and you tag topics with the #. If you see something that says “#WordoftheDay,” the tweet or post has something to do with Word of the Day. And, once you click on that marked topic, you’ll likely see all public posts about it. It’s a …
READ MORE

Nearby words

  1. beat into one's head,
  2. beat it,
  3. beat man,
  4. beat off,
  5. beat one's brains out,
  6. beat out,
  7. beat poets,
  8. beat someone at his or her own game,
  9. beat the air,
  10. beat the band
The American Heritage® Idioms Dictionary Copyright © 2002, 2001, 1995 by Houghton Mifflin Harcourt Publishing Company. Published by Houghton Mifflin Harcourt Publishing Company.