dead horse
In real, traceable use. Part of the curated seed collection; community review is coming.
Sense 1
Meaning · English
Tomato sauce.
Register: slang
Where it’s used:
Used
Australian English
Sources & notes
Adapted from English Wiktionary (CC BY-SA 4.0, retrieved 2026-07-30 via kaikki.org).
Sense 2
Meaning · English
To work for the dead horse; to work for wages already paid.
Era: ca. 1811 (Georgian)
Where it’s used:
Origin
British & Irish English
Sources & notes
Historical definition reproduced from Grose’s Dictionary of the Vulgar Tongue (1811 edition, public domain; Project Gutenberg #5402, retrieved 2026-07-31). Reflects the attitudes of its era.
Common questions
What does “dead horse” mean?
Tomato sauce.
Is “dead horse” formal or informal?
dead horse is generally slang.