ridden roughshod over
Crushed without care
To ride roughshod over someone is to treat them with complete disregard for their feelings, rights, or objections.
The image comes from horses shod with nails or points left projecting—useful for traction but brutal if the horse trampled someone.
Management has ridden roughshod over employee concerns for years.
She rode roughshod over anyone who disagreed.
- tramplingCrushing underfoot repeatedly
- dominateControl through superior strength
- bullyHabitual intimidator
- pushed aroundCoerced through intimidation
- steamrollingOverpowering through sheer force
trampled underfoot · rode roughshod · intimidate · suppress · overbear · tyrannize · control · railroaded · high-handed · iron fist · subjugation · hegemony · override · disrespect · strong-armed · exploitation · overwhelm · power trip
ridden roughshod overhandled with kid gloves
Treated with excessive caution
accommodated · tiptoed around · coddled · pampered · indulged
ridden, rider, riders, riding, rides, rough, roughly, roughness, roughen