英语词汇flog or beat a dead horse的起源、历史背景-英语词源词典

flog (or beat) a dead horse. Though he supported the mea- sure, British politician and orator John Bright thought the Reform Bill of 1867, which called for more democratic repre- sentation, would never be passed by Parliament. Trying to rouse 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. This is the first recorded use of the expression, which is still common for “trying to revive interest in an apparently hopeless issue.” Bright’s silver tongue is also responsible for “En- gland is the mother of Parliament,” and “Force is not a remedy,” among other memorable quotations. He was wrong about the Reform Bill of 1867, however. Parliament “carried” it, as the British say.

词汇	flog or beat a dead horse
词源	flog (or beat) a dead horse. Though he supported the mea- sure, British politician and orator John Bright thought the Reform Bill of 1867, which called for more democratic repre- sentation, would never be passed by Parliament. Trying to rouse 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. This is the first recorded use of the expression, which is still common for “trying to revive interest in an apparently hopeless issue.” Bright’s silver tongue is also responsible for “En- gland is the mother of Parliament,” and “Force is not a remedy,” among other memorable quotations. He was wrong about the Reform Bill of 1867, however. Parliament “carried” it, as the British say.
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