v. (flogged, flogging)
1. tr. a beat with a whip, stick, etc. (as a punishment or to urge on). b make work through violent effort (flogged the engine).
2 tr. Brit. sl. sell.
3 tr. (usu. foll. by into, out of) drive (a quality, knowledge, etc.) into or out of a person, esp. by physical punishment.
4 intr. & refl. sl. proceed by violent or painful effort.
Phrases and idioms:
flog a dead horse waste energy on something unalterable. flog to death colloq. talk about or promote at tedious length.
Derivatives:
flogger n.
Etymology: 17th-c. cant: prob. imit. or f. L flagellare to whip