flog a dead horse

== English == === Alternative forms === beat a dead horse flog a dead pony === Pronunciation === === Verb === flog a dead horse (third-person singular simple present flogs a dead horse, present participle flogging a dead horse, simple past and past participle flogged a dead horse) (British, idiomatic) To 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. (dated, nautical) To attempt to get extra work out of a ship's crew during the dead horse period. ==== Synonyms ==== spit in the wind ==== Translations ==== === See also === necrohippoflagellation necrohipposadism