beat (one's) head against a/the wall
beat (one's) head against a/the wall
To attempt continuously and fruitlessly to accomplish some task or achieve some goal that is or seems ultimately hopeless. Some people are never going to agree with you on this, so it's no use beating your head against a wall trying to convince everyone. I feel like I've been beating my head against the wall trying to understand this math equation.
See also: beat, head, wall
Farlex Dictionary of Idioms.
beat one's head against the wall
and bang one's head against a brick wallFig. to waste one's time trying hard to accomplish something that is completely hopeless. You're wasting your time trying to figure this puzzle out. You're just beating your head against the wall. You're banging your head against a brick wall trying to get that dog to behave properly.
See also: beat, head, wall
McGraw-Hill Dictionary of American Idioms and Phrasal Verbs.
beat one's head against the wall
Also, bang or run one's head against or into a brick wall . Waste one's time in a hopeless enterprise, as in I have tried many times to convince him to stop smoking, but I'm beating my head against a brick wall . The metaphoric phrase alludes to a physical expression of frustration. [Late 1500s] Also see beat the air.
See also: beat, head, wall
The American Heritage® Dictionary of Idioms by Christine Ammer.
- bang (one's) head into a brick wall
- beat head against the wall
- beat one's head against the wall
- beat (one's) head against a stone wall
- knock (one's) head against a (brick) wall
- knock (one's) head against a/the wall
- knock head against a brick wall
- bang your head against a brick wall
- bang (one's) head against a brick wall
- bang (one's) head against a wall