ride roughshod over









ride roughshod over


adjective

  1. shod with horseshoes having projecting nails or points.
Idioms
  1. ride roughshod over, to treat harshly or domineeringly; override; crush: He rode roughshod over his friends to advance himself in the business world.

adjective

  1. (of a horse) shod with rough-bottomed shoes to prevent sliding

adverb

  1. ride roughshod over to domineer over or act with complete disregard for
adj.

also rough-shod, 1680s, from rough (adj.) + shod. Originally of horses shod with the nails projecting from the shoe, to prevent slipping.

Act without regard for the feelings or interests of others, as in She just forges on, riding roughshod over her colleagues. This term alludes to the practice of arming horses with horseshoes mounted with projecting nails or points, which both gave them better traction and served as a weapon against fallen enemy soldiers. By 1800 it was being used figuratively for bullying behavior.

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