ride roughshod over

Idioms  

1. Act without regard for the feelings or interests of others, as in She just forges on, riding roughshod over her colleagues. This term alludes to the practice of arming horses with horseshoes mounted with projecting nails or points, which both gave them better traction and served as a weapon against fallen enemy soldiers. By 1800 it was being used figuratively for bullying behavior.

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Example Sentences

See Examples For:

ride roughshod over

Critics say PSNs are being used for projects with minimal domestic benefit, including industrial zones managed by foreign companies, and allow developers to ride roughshod over environmental and rights protections.

From Barron's ● Oct. 17, 2025

He said ministers used to "walk" if they briefed about a Budget, and he warned the government not to "ride roughshod over this House".

From BBC ● Oct. 25, 2021

A mayor’s cowardice allows an outlaw to ride roughshod over the citizens of a desolate frontier town.

From Los Angeles Times ● Nov. 20, 2020

Companies with big enough budgets can often ride roughshod over the planning system, beating cash-strapped councils and volunteer community groups.

From The Guardian ● Apr. 19, 2019

Zach Powers, Lena Young, and their crowd ride roughshod over a lot of people.

From "Schooled" by Gordon Korman

Related Words

• crush
• encroach
• flatten
• hurt
• infringe
• injure
• override
• overwhelm
• run over
• squash
• step on
• stomp
• violate