coach (redirected from driven a coach and horses through)

coach someone for something

to train or drill someone in preparation for doing something. Elliott coached his roommate every night for the contest. Juan coached Alice for the play.

drive a coach and horses through something

Fig. to expose weak points or "holes" in an argument, alibi, or criminal case by [figuratively] driving a horse and carriage through them. (Formal. Emphasizes the large size of the holes or gaps in the argument.) The barrister drove a horse and carnage through the witness's testimony. The opposition will drive a coach and horses through the wording of that government bill.

See also: and, drive, horse, through

---

drive a coach and horses through something   (British)

if someone drives a coach and horses through a rule, an opinion, a plan, or a tradition, they destroy it by doing something against it which it is too weak to prevent His company drove a coach and horses through employment legislation. She produced statistics which drove a coach and horses through the chairman's argument.

See also: and, drive, horse, through