dead horse
Americannoun
idioms
Etymology
Origin of dead horse
An Americanism dating back to 1820–30
Example Sentences
Examples are provided to illustrate real-world usage of words in context. Any opinions expressed do not reflect the views of Dictionary.com.
Just saying it once feels like I’m beating a dead horse.
From The Wall Street Journal ● May 23, 2026
It’s also largely responsible for the smell of the delicately-named dead horse arum, a relative of the so-called corpse flower, or titan arum.
From Salon ● May 31, 2025
As late as 10 p.m., the dead horse was left uncovered on the carpool lane on the 605.
From Los Angeles Times ● Apr. 3, 2024
“I think you would like to have those players playing in an ideal world, but I feel like we’re sort of beating a dead horse in this media room a little bit,” he said.
From Seattle Times ● Mar. 13, 2024
Only if you’re Roger Federer. beat a dead horse.
From "Woe Is I" by Patricia T. O'Conner
Definitions and idiom definitions from Dictionary.com Unabridged, based on the Random House Unabridged Dictionary, © Random House, Inc. 2023
Idioms from The American Heritage® Idioms Dictionary copyright © 2002, 2001, 1995 by Houghton Mifflin Harcourt Publishing Company. Published by Houghton Mifflin Harcourt Publishing Company.
