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3. beat one's head against the wall

beat one's head against the wall

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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