“Beat a dead horse” is to engage in pointless and repetitive discussion. “Beating” is more common in American idiom, while “flogging” a dead horse is more common in British idiom.
The Meaning
The idiom also means to bring up an issue that has already been concluded. Just as beating a dead horse is pointless, so too are old issues that have already been settled in a person’s mind, as he is unlikely to change his stance. Futile.
Why would someone beat a dead horse? It’s already dead, it can’t be hurt anymore! In horse racing, the jockey has a riding crop which is basically a short, miniature whip that they use to give the horse a little smack on his thigh to try and increase speed. In a sense, they are “beating” the horse, but it’s a living one so I guess there’s a point behind it. A dead horse can’t be stimulated to run any faster by such a device! Anyway, this doesn’t seem to have anything to do with its origin, but it would make a bit of sense if it did.
The Origin
The first recorded use of the expression with its modern meaning is by British politician and orator John Bright, referring to the Reform Act of 1867, which called for more democratic representation in the Parliament, an issue about which the Parliament was singularly apathetic. Trying to rouse the Parliament from its apathy on the issue, he said in a speech, would be like trying to “flog a dead horse” to make it pull a load.
In this case the “beating a dead horse” phrase is commonly used in arguments to infer that any further arguing on the current topic will fall on deaf ears.
Earlier Meaning
Some scholars claim that the phrase originated in 17th-century slang, where a “dead horse” was work that was paid for in advance, e.g. “His land was sold to pay his debts; All went that way, for a dead horse, as one would say.” This attribution confuses “flogging a dead horse” with an entirely different phrase: “to work (for) the dead horse”. This phrase was slang for “work charged before it is executed”. This use of ‘dead horse’ to refer to pay that was issued before the work was done was an allusion to using one’s money to buy a useless thing (metaphorically, “a dead horse”). Most men paid in advance apparently either wasted the money on drink or other such vices, or used it to pay outstanding debts.
The Idiom “Beating A Dead Horse” Used In Sentences:
“Why keep beating a dead horse and bringing up these old subjects that have already been debated over and over.”
“I wanted to discuss why the Dreamcast was superior the Nintendo 64 with my friends, but they said talking about it again would be akin to beating a dead horse.”
In Biblical Times
Likewise John Bright, the British politician of the 19th century, we find Jesus Christ, the Son of God more than 2000 years ago, the greatest Teacher and Orator ever. Bright spoke to the politicians about political issues, while Jesus talked to the multitudes about water and bread of life, about their salvation and about the way to the Father. A lot of people followed Him because of His signs, others pushed by their curiosity and just a few true disciples followed Him because He had the words of life.
Jesus had the words of life and it was supposed this Word would open eyes and ears, soften hearts and transform lives. Instead it met deaf ears, hardened hearts, blinded eyes and as a result they missed the new life offered by salvation, they missed Jesus Christ. Talking to such category of people about salvation reminds us Bright`s case and is also commonly to “beating a dead horse”. But we didn`t see Jesus discouraged about it. He has done His ministry and He has done it through.
