beat the hound out of

1905 Augusta Chron. (GA) 22 Nov 2/3 SC, Chairman Evans says he will offer for re-election . . and that he is “going to beat the hound out of anything that sets up a fight against him.” 1920 Macon Daily Telegraph (GA) 30 May 6/5, [Letter:] I know if a general fight had started I had it in me to beat the hound out of a puny looking little fellow in the balcony who was always applauding at the wrong time. 1943 (1976) Guthrie Bound for Glory 176 OK, They quit jumping on me for two reasons: I’d beat the hound out of one of them, and the others wanted to ride on that motorcycle. 1951 Collier’s 17 Mar 72 FL, It just beat the hound out of me what they did for money. 1966–67 DARE (Qu. Y15, To beat somebody thoroughly: “John really _____ that fellow.”) Infs SC19, 29, 34, 42, 46, Beat the hound out of. 1967 DARE FW Addit ceTN, Heard in conversation: “I beat the hound out of him,” meaning “I gave him a bad beating.” 1976 Browne Night with Hants 24 cnAL (as of 1954), If you just quit, pulled out, and they found you any time later, well, they’d just take you out and beat the hound out of you. 2007 in 2015 DARE File cNC, They are good biscuits along the lines of what Biscuitville makes. They beat the hound out of any canned biscuit. 2009 Ibid WI, I am looking at getting a good camcorder and thought that it might be a good idea to get what they have, as they beat the hound out of them and get great video quality.