Why do you beat a dead horse?

Today’s English
April 26th, 2017

Though we try at our best, sometimes something may somehow fail. Life is not only going to be a bed of roses, but also a bed of thorns either to us or somebody close to us.  How to express the darker side of life, especially failures and disappointments is as important as dealing with the brighter side.

1. If all else fails = if everything goes wrong

If all else fails, let us resign the job.
If all else fails, we have to wind up the business.

2. Sink like a stone = to fail completely

The whole project sank like a stone.
His recent film sank like a stone.

3. To beat a dead horse = to waste your time and energy with no chance of success
All your ideas and attempts seem illogical. Why are you beating the dead horse?
I tried at my best to change my wife’s mind but it was just beating a dead horse.

4. Murphy’s law = if something can possibly go wrong, it will go wrong

Everyday she asked me, “Do you want money?” I said no. Today I need money but she says she has no money – that’s Murphy’s law.
The bus always comes late. Today I came  late but the bus went earlier, that’s Murphy’s law, isn’t it?

5. In vain = without success,

The Minister's efforts to stop evaporation of water ended in vain.
Why are trying in vain to persuade me to buy your worthless products?

6. Fall short of your expectations = to fail to reach the expected amount/standard

The sales fell short of my expectations.
I was shocked to see his performance fall short everyone’s expectations.

7. Go up in smoke = to fail completely
All our ideas have at last gone up in smoke.
Do you think it will go up in smoke?

8. Wither on the vine = to gradually destroy/disappear due to lack of support

His new business withered on the vine due to lack of customers.
The admissions came down year by year and the college withered on the vine.

“When sorrows come, they come not single spies
But in battalions.” – Claudius in Shakespeare’s “Hamlet”