MiKe's definitions
When sailors returned home from a voyage, they would be paid off in one lump sum. Most would then stay at shoreside establishments catering to sailors until their money ran out. When that happened, the owners ("crimps") would advance money so that the sailors could purchase more food, rum and "companionship" at that establishment at inflated prices.
For centuries, it was common practice to give a sailor one month's wage in advance when they signed on for a voyage. This advance was intended for the purchase of needed clothing and other gear before departure. Often times this money went to repay the crimps. By the middle of the 19th century, captains were paying the advances directly to crimps for providing crew, bypassing the poor sailor. Thus, most sailors would be working only for their food for the first month of a voyage.
This food was supposed to mostly consist of salt beef. Food provisioners, whenever they could get away with it (which was quite often), would substitute much cheaper and chewier salt horse for a portion of the salt beef. Even when salt beef was provided, some of it would have been in casks for years before being given to the crew to eat, making it as hard to chew as salt horse. It was quite usual for the crew to refer to their food as salt horse when it was bad, or dead horse if it was worse than bad.
So, for the first month the sailors were working only for their food, their salt horse, their dead horse. They were said to be "working off their dead horse," and were referred to as dead horses themselves. Flogging them to get them to work harder was a waste of energy. Thus, "you can't beat a dead horse" to get any more work done.
For centuries, it was common practice to give a sailor one month's wage in advance when they signed on for a voyage. This advance was intended for the purchase of needed clothing and other gear before departure. Often times this money went to repay the crimps. By the middle of the 19th century, captains were paying the advances directly to crimps for providing crew, bypassing the poor sailor. Thus, most sailors would be working only for their food for the first month of a voyage.
This food was supposed to mostly consist of salt beef. Food provisioners, whenever they could get away with it (which was quite often), would substitute much cheaper and chewier salt horse for a portion of the salt beef. Even when salt beef was provided, some of it would have been in casks for years before being given to the crew to eat, making it as hard to chew as salt horse. It was quite usual for the crew to refer to their food as salt horse when it was bad, or dead horse if it was worse than bad.
So, for the first month the sailors were working only for their food, their salt horse, their dead horse. They were said to be "working off their dead horse," and were referred to as dead horses themselves. Flogging them to get them to work harder was a waste of energy. Thus, "you can't beat a dead horse" to get any more work done.
by Mike January 29, 2005
Get the dead horsemug. by mike July 31, 2003
Get the clownsmug. Used to refer to someone who is coming own off har rugs an is all "twigged out", and therefore doing things such as 1.) swatting bugs that are not there 2.) dodging projectiles that are not there 3.) buying alcohol when you're all wrecked and 7 a.m.
by mike November 30, 2003
Get the crackymug. 
Get the the janemug. All girls catholic high school in Roc city (brother school: MCQ)- you can bet most of the girls come from probably Pittsford, Penfield, or Webster. It wouldn't be uncommon for one to pull a hundred dollar bill out of their wallet..and that would probably be the least amount of cash they'd have on them. The school's known for their sports, especially Soccer (a cult which is known as AJAX..), Softball, and Basketball(they breed their athletes...), as well as its "college-prep" (for parties that is..., although others may interpret that as going IVY). The girls at Mercy definitely known how to party...
by Mike April 2, 2005
Get the Mercy High School - Rochester NYmug. by Mike December 11, 2003
Get the lobermug. 