bang one's head against a brick wall

Many versions of this idiom exist. For instance, bang may be replaced with beat or run. Against can be replaced with into, and brick can be replaced with stone. In addition, the idiom is often simplified into beat (or bang) one's head against the wall.

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bang one's head against a brick wall (third-person singular simple present bangs one's head against a brick wall, present participle banging one's head against a brick wall, simple past and past participle banged one's head against a brick wall)

1. (intransitive, idiomatic) To waste effort on a futile project.

• beat a dead horse
• flog a dead horse