The dead horse is the word itself. Words that are mistakenly used to mean their opposites (literally, peruse, etc) so often that newer-and-opposite-meaning beco

The dead horse is the word itself. Words that are mistakenly used to mean their opposites (literally, peruse, etc) so often that newer-and-opposite-meaning becomes normal, make it impossible for a careful speaker to use them at all. What's sad is that those who defend the traditional and more useful meaning are considered Nazis. You already have "figuratively". Use it. Why ruin literally?