dead horse

See synonyms for dead horse on Thesaurus.com
noun
  1. something that has ceased to be useful or relevant.

Idioms about dead horse

  1. beat / flog a dead horse, to persist in pursuing or trying to revive interest in a project or subject that has lost its usefulness or relevance.

Origin of dead horse

1
An Americanism dating back to 1820–30

Words Nearby dead horse

Dictionary.com Unabridged Based on the Random House Unabridged Dictionary, © Random House, Inc. 2024

How to use dead horse in a sentence

  • The two men behind the dead horse were not deceived by this excitement into rising to their knees.

    Blazed Trail Stories | Stewart Edward White
  • One man he saw lying on his face with a leg hid under the body of his dead horse.

    Ponce de Leon | William Pilling
  • The reserve men cut the gear of the dead horse, dragged his body aside, and replaced him with one of the six from the caisson.

    In Hostile Red | Joseph Altsheler
  • There can be very little doubt that the phantom the Afrikander saw was the actual spirit of a dead horse.

    Animal Ghosts | Elliott O'Donnell

Other Idioms and Phrases with dead horse

dead horse

see beat a dead horse.

The American Heritage® Idioms Dictionary Copyright © 2002, 2001, 1995 by Houghton Mifflin Harcourt Publishing Company. Published by Houghton Mifflin Harcourt Publishing Company.