Meanings
present singular third person flogs a dead horse · participle present flogging a dead horse · participle past flogged a dead horse · past flogged a dead horse · alternative beat a dead horse · alternative flog a dead pony
- UKidiomaticTo attempt to get more out of something that cannot give more; to attempt to arouse fresh interest in something that is either hopeless or already settled.
- datednauticalTo attempt to get extra work out of a ship's crew during the dead horse period.
Synonyms: spit in the wind
Synonyms & antonyms
verbTo attempt to get extra work out of a ship's crew during the dead horse period.
Translations
Estonian surnud hobust peksta, tühja tööd tegema
- surnud hobust pekstato attempt to get more out of something that cannot give more
- tühja tööd tegemato attempt to get more out of something that cannot give more
- viljatut ideed uuesti üles võtmato attempt to get more out of something that cannot give more
Finnish piiskata kuollutta hevosta
- piiskata kuollutta hevostato attempt to get more out of something that cannot give more
German auf etwas herumreiten, seine Zeit verschwenden
- auf etwas herumreitento attempt to get more out of something that cannot give more
- seine Zeit verschwendento attempt to get more out of something that cannot give more
- sich vergeblich bemühento attempt to get more out of something that cannot give more
Hungarian vesztegeti az idejét, mint halottnak a csók
- vesztegeti az idejétto attempt to get more out of something that cannot give more
- mint halottnak a csókto attempt to get more out of something that cannot give more
- falra hányt borsóto attempt to get more out of something that cannot give more
- feleslegesen igyekszik/erőltetito attempt to get more out of something that cannot give more
- lezárt témán lovagolto attempt to get more out of something that cannot give more
Italian sprecare tempo, è fatica sprecata
- sprecare tempoto attempt to get more out of something that cannot give more
- è fatica sprecatato attempt to get more out of something that cannot give more
- è una battaglia persato attempt to get more out of something that cannot give more
Malay mencari jejak dalam air
- mencari jejak dalam airto attempt to get more out of something that cannot give more
Polish but see robić coś na próżno, zrobić coś na próżno
- but see robić coś na próżnoto attempt to get more out of something that cannot give more
- zrobić coś na próżnoto attempt to get more out of something that cannot give more
Portuguese chutar cachorro morto, chover no molhado
- chutar cachorro mortoto attempt to get more out of something that cannot give more
- chover no molhadoto attempt to get more out of something that cannot give more
Scottish Gaelic a' marbhadh coin mhairbh
- a' marbhadh coin mhairbhto attempt to get more out of something that cannot give more
Spanish machacar en hierro frío
- machacar en hierro fríoto attempt to get more out of something that cannot give more
Turkish havanda su dövmek, boşa kürek çekmek
- havanda su dövmekto attempt to get more out of something that cannot give more
- boşa kürek çekmekto attempt to get more out of something that cannot give more
Cite this entry
flog a dead horse. (n.d.). In WatkinsX Dictionary. Retrieved November 5, 2026, from https://dictionary.watkinsx.com/word/flog%20a%20dead%20horse
“flog a dead horse.” WatkinsX Dictionary, https://dictionary.watkinsx.com/word/flog%20a%20dead%20horse. Accessed November 5, 2026.
WatkinsX Dictionary, s.v. “flog a dead horse,” accessed November 5, 2026, https://dictionary.watkinsx.com/word/flog%20a%20dead%20horse.
Source: flog a dead horse on Wiktionary, CC BY-SA 4.0.