flog

/ˈfläg/

perhaps modification of Latin flagellare to whip

verb

  1. to beat with or as if with a rod or whip

  2. to criticize harshly

  3. to force or urge into action : drive

The sailors were flogged for attempting a mutiny.

He was flogged in the press for failing to take action.

idiom

  1. to keep talking about a subject that has already been discussed or decided

  2. to waste time and effort trying to do something that is impossible

I don't mean to flog a dead horse, but I still don't understand what happened.