drive a coach and horses through

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drive a coach and horses through

make something entirely useless or ineffective – British

An early example of this idiom is found in this statement by the Irish lawyer Stephen Rice (1637-1715) : I will drive a coach and six horses through the Act of Settlement. Early versions of the phrase also refer to a space big enough to turn a coach and six (or four) (i.e. horses) in, but the context, following Rice's declaration, is very often that of rendering a law or regulation ineffective.

1997 - Spectator - A coach and horses was driven through one of the guiding principles of American statecraft


RELATED IDIOMS :


drive something home

make something clearly and fully understood by the use of repeated or forcefully direct arguments

The verbs hammer, press and ram are also used in place of drive.




let drive

attack with blows, missiles or criticism

1926 - Travel - I let drive for the point of his chin and he went down and out for a full count.

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drive a coach and horses through :

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