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
Dead horses won't get up no matter how much you hit them. Honest. Leave the carcass alone, please. Ew.
by Lady Chevalier May 12, 2005
A person who continues, at length to continue on a topic that has exhausted its usefulness to the rest of the crowd, to expound and explore the dead topic.
Someone who, despite being told the topic is a "dead horse" continues to converse on that topic.
Someone who, despite being told the topic is a "dead horse" continues to converse on that topic.
I can't believe Tim is still arguing about toothpaste with Bob, Bob agreed with him 20 minutes ago! What a dead horse Jockey.
by Darious Guile October 22, 2009
It doesn't matter how much you want to continue riding beating a dead horse is not going to get you anywhere.
If something is already done and over with there is no point in still talking about it.
If something is already broken there is no point in trying to use it.
If something is already done and over with there is no point in still talking about it.
If something is already broken there is no point in trying to use it.
Someone breaks up with there girl/boyfriend and continues to bitch about them to there friends weeks later. That person is beating a dead horse, the relationship is over there is no point in thinking about it since the matter is already resolved with you having broken up.
Relationship = dead horse
Bitching about it = beating it
Trying over and over to start your car after you've been in an accident where it is clear that the car is not going to work.
Broken Car = dead horse
Trying to start it = beating it
Relationship = dead horse
Bitching about it = beating it
Trying over and over to start your car after you've been in an accident where it is clear that the car is not going to work.
Broken Car = dead horse
Trying to start it = beating it
by Bradley Groot February 19, 2008
When somebody asks for something that you're not going to give them or do for them, your response is "Sorry, but I'd say you're looking up a dead horse's ass"
by wlp1971sept May 25, 2009
1.Attempting to reopen a topic or subject that is already resolved 2.To waste time doing something that has already been attempted
"If you're trying to get back with Ryan, you're just kicking a dead horse. He got back together with Becky."
by Single Mingling Pringle March 30, 2014
Coming from many game forum boards, beating the Dead horse is a term used to describe a topic that has been debated/discussed to death.
FFXIGamer1: WHICH JOB IS BEtTER, pld or nINja??!?
FFXIGamer2: Stop beating the f*cking dead horse....
FFXIGamer2: Stop beating the f*cking dead horse....
by Rellinger April 07, 2005