# ride roughshod over

idiom

Source: https://englishreference.com/idiom/ride-roughshod-over
Updated: 2026-08-10

## Meaning

To treat (someone) roughly or without care, control, moderation, or respect; to act in a bullying manner toward (someone); to damage (someone or something).

## Examples

- The boss likes to ride roughshod over everyone's ideas.
- You cannot ride roughshod over my feelings just because you are angry.
- The new manager tends to ride roughshod over the team's concerns, ignoring their feedback during every meeting.
- The developers decided to ride roughshod over the local community's wishes by building a massive parking lot where the park used to be.
- By choosing to ride roughshod over the established safety protocols, the company risked the well-being of its employees for the sake of higher profits.

## Origin

A horse is roughshod if its shoes are fitted with calks, which are projecting metal points designed to prevent slipping. The idiom draws from the physical damage these projections inflict upon whatever the animal is ridden over. The term appeared in its literal sense by the late 17th century, describing the necessary preparation for a horse to maintain traction on icy or slippery terrain at the expense of the ground beneath it.

---

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.