【英语习语】
to beat a dead horse
【习语注释】
该习语表示“to attempt to revive an interest which has died out; to engage in fruitless effort”，即“试图恢复已经消亡的利益；作出毫无结果的努力”，相当于汉语里的“徒劳无功；白费力气；白费口舌；徒劳无益”。
【习语运用】
I hate to beat a dead horse, but it is very important that you understand this before you leave.
我不想多此一举，但你离开以前必须了解这个。
He keeps trying to get it published, but I think he's beating a dead horse.
他一个劲儿地想将其出版，但我认为他在白费力气。
I don't mean to beat a dead horse, but I still don't understand what happened.
我并不想白费力气，但我还是不明白发生了什么。
【闲话习语】
该习语最早可追溯到十七世纪时期Richard Brome的话剧作品《 The Antipodes 》中：
" He cur'd a country gentleman that fell madFor spending of his land before he sold it;That is, 'twas sold to pay his debts - all wentThat way for a dead horse, as one would say!"
但是，当时该习语中的a dead horse是指“work for which a person had been paid in advance (and possibly had already spent the proceeds)”，即“已经提前获得报酬的工作（并且可能已经花费了收益）”。
那么，你还知道英语里“徒劳无功”的其它说法吗？欢迎留言探讨。
