beating dead horse
Arguing settled matters
Beating a dead horse is persisting with an argument, cause, or effort that has already failed or been settled.
The image is of futilely whipping a horse that's beyond responding.
Often used to acknowledge pointless repetition: I know I'm beating a dead horse here, but we really should reconsider the budget.
Also flogging a dead horse.
- futileIncapable of producing results
- lost causeEndeavor certain to fail
- pointlessLacking any purpose
- redundantExceeding what's needed
- repetitiveMarked by recurrence
going in circles · nagging · exhausted · tiresome · relentless · stubbornness · flogging · worn-out · stale · cliché · broken record · ad nauseam · harping · droning · rehashing · belaboring · overkill · persistence
- Futile taskswild goose chase, fool's errand, tilting at windmills, herding cats, chasing rainbows
- idiomstime flies, hit the sack, seize the day, ring a bell, break a leg
- overdoing itoverdo, overreach, overwork, overspend, overexert
- futile argumentscircular argument, going in circles, lost cause, moot point, brick wall
- proverbsproverbs, sayings, maxims, adages, aphorisms
- foolishnessfoolishness, silliness, foolish, stupid, folly
beating dead horsebreaking new ground
Doing something never done
blazing a trail · pioneering · virgin territory · cutting edge · fresh take
beating dead horsemaking hay while the sun shines
Capitalizing on favorable circumstances
riding the wave · bearing fruit · moving the needle · gaining traction · making headway
beat, beats, beaten, beater, beaters, beating, dead, deaden, deadens