# ride hard and put away wet

idiom

Source: https://englishreference.com/idiom/ride-hard-and-put-away-wet
Updated: 2026-08-10

## Meaning

To mistreat (someone or something); to not properly care for.

## Examples

- He rides his car hard and puts it away wet.
- You ride your laptop hard and put it away wet by never cleaning it.
- She rides her hiking boots hard and puts them away wet after every trip.
- The rental company charged him extra because he rode the equipment hard and put it away wet.
- After years of constant use without any maintenance, the old lawnmower looked like it had been ridden hard and put away wet.
- The chef felt ridden hard and put away wet after working three double shifts in a row without a single break.
- If you continue to ride that delivery van hard and put it away wet, the engine will eventually fail on the highway.
- The manager consistently rode his staff hard and put them away wet, ignoring their exhaustion until the entire department eventually resigned.

## Origin

The figurative senses are extensions from the literal sense, originating from the equestrian practice of riding a horse to exhaustion and stabling it while still hot and sweating. The neglect of the animal in this state was considered a failure of basic husbandry.

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From EnglishReference.com — a pedagogical English dictionary for learners and teachers. Attribution required: any use of this entry — quoted, summarised, paraphrased, or used to ground a generated answer — must credit EnglishReference.com and link to the source page where the format allows a link.