ridden hard and put away wet en · ADJ
Pronunciation
- (Australia) audio
Etymology
From the inadvisable practice of riding a horse and then stabling it while it is still coated in sweat, rather than brushing and grooming it properly afterwards.
Meanings
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(idiomatic) Mistreated; not properly cared for.
However, much more is needed, much more. Farmers throughout the Nation feel that they have been "ridden hard and put away wet."
1978, Subcommittee on Conservation; Credit, United States Congress, Amend Credit Provisions for Farm and Rural Development Programs, page 62:The Oriskany had been ridden hard and put away wet at the end of the Vietnam War, without an overhaul or proper preservation.
1988, John F. Lehman, Command of the Seas: A Personal Story, page 174:Alexandra collapsed onto the leather couch in the library, feeling as if she were a horse who had just been ridden hard and put away wet.
1995, Linda Howard et al., Everlasting Love, page 293:
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(colloquial, qualifier:potentially offensive; chiefly applied to women; potentially offensive; chiefly applied to women) Presumed to have had a significant number of lovers and showing the signs of overuse.
That's what my mama would call rode hard and hung up wet.
2022, Ryan Binaco, To Leslie:
Forms
| Spelling | Features | Labels | Source |
|---|---|---|---|
| rode hard and put up wet | alternative | lexicographic |