beat

1 of 4

verb

ˈbēt

beat; beaten ˈbē-tᵊn How to pronounce beat (audio)

or beat; beating; beats

transitive verb

: to strike repeatedly:

: to hit repeatedly so as to inflict pain

Inmates were put in solitary for beating other inmates.

—often used with up

… brutes who beat up their victims without compunction …—

J. H. Plumb

: to walk on : tread

beat the pavement looking for work

: to strike directly against forcefully and repeatedly : dash against

waves beating the shore

beat the door with her fists

: to flap or thrash at vigorously

a trapped bird beating the air

hunting : to strike at in order to rouse game

beating a hedgerow

also : to range over in or as if in quest of game

… beat the woods and rouse the bounding prey … —

Matthew Prior

: to mix by stirring : whip

beat the eggs

—often used with up

: to strike repeatedly in order to produce music or a signal

beat a drum

: to drive or force by blows

beat back his attackers

: to pound into a powder, paste, or pulp

: to make by repeated treading or driving over

beat a path through the woods

d(1)

: to dislodge by repeated hitting

beat dust from the carpet

(2)

: to lodge securely by repeated striking

beat a stake into the ground

: to shape by beating

beat swords into plowshares

especially : to flatten thin by blows

: to sound or express especially by drumbeat

beating out a rhythm on the conga

: to cause to strike or flap repeatedly

a bird beating its wings

: overcome, defeat

beat the insurgents in a bloody battle

beating your opponent in chess

They beat us 14 to 3.

also : surpass

She beat the old record by three seconds.

—often used with out

Someone else beat her out for the job.

: to prevail despite

beat the odds

: bewilder, baffle

it beats me how she does it

d(1)

: fatigue, exhaust

(2)

: to leave dispirited, irresolute, or hopeless

Years of failure had beaten him down.

: cheat, swindle

beat him out of his inheritance

a(1)

: to act ahead of usually so as to forestall

I was going to make the suggestion, but she beat me to it.

(2)

journalism : to report a news item in advance of

beat the other networks

: to come or arrive before

I beat him to the finish line.

: circumvent

beat the system

sports : to outmaneuver (a defender) and get free

The player attempts to beat the defender and score.

sports : to score against (a goalkeeper)

: to produce (music or a signal) by striking something repeatedly : to indicate by beating

beat the tempo

intransitive verb

: to become forcefully propelled forward : dash

waves beating against the shore

: to glare or strike with oppressive intensity

The sun beat down on us.

: to sustain distracting activity

… the turbulence of the Renaissance … beating about his head …—

Douglas Stewart

: to strike a drum repeatedly : to beat a drum

The drummers kept beating.

a(1)

: pulsate, throb

Her heart beat wildly.

(2)

: tick

the beating of a clock

: to sound upon being struck

the sound of a beating drum

: to strike repeated blows

beating on the door

… their air attack still beating upon us …—

Sir Winston Churchill

: to strike the air : flap

The bird's wings beat frantically.

hunting : to strike bushes or other cover in order to rouse game

also : to range or scour for or as if for game

: to progress with much difficulty

nautical : to sail to windward by a series of zigzag movements

beating along the coast

beatable

ˈbē-tə-bəl How to pronounce beat (audio)

adjective

beat

2 of 4

noun (1)

: a single stroke or blow especially in a series

a single beat on a drum

also : pulsation, tick

: a sound produced by or as if by beating (see beat entry 1)

dance to the beat of the drums

listening to the beat of his heart

: a driving impact or force

… the full force of the surf beat …—

Joyce Allan

… the fierce beat of the eastern sun.—

T. B. Costain

: one swing of the pendulum or balance (see balance entry 1 sense 9) of a timepiece

: a regularly traversed round (see round entry 3 sense 6a)

a cop patrolling her beat

journalism : a group of news sources that a reporter covers regularly

a reporter on the beat

: a metrical or rhythmic stress in poetry or music or the rhythmic effect of these stresses

four beats per bar

keeping a steady beat

music : the tempo indicated (as by a conductor) to a musical performer

music : the pronounced rhythm (see rhythm sense 2b) that is the characteristic driving force in some types of music (such as jazz or rock)

music with a Latin beat

also : rock entry 2 sense 2

: one that excels

I've never seen the beat of it

journalism : the reporting of a news story ahead of competitors

: deadbeat

nautical

: an act of sailing toward the side or direction from which the wind is blowing by a series of zigzag movements : an act of beating (see beat entry 1 sense intransitive 5) to windward

: one of the reaches (see reach entry 2 sense 1) in the zigzag course so traversed : tack

physics : each of the pulsations of amplitude (see amplitude sense 1a) produced by the union of sound or radio waves or electric currents having different frequencies

dance : an accented stroke (as of one leg or foot against the other)

: moment

waited a beat before responding

beatless

ˈbēt-ləs

adjective

beat

3 of 4

adjective

: being in a state of exhaustion : exhausted

Sometimes I'd be so beat that I'd flop down and go to sleep fully dressed.—

Polly Adler

: sapped of resolution or morale

often capitalized [earliest in beat generation; perhaps in part by association with beat entry 2 in sense "pronounced rhythm" or -beat in deadbeat entry 1] : of, relating to, or being beatniks

beat poets

beat

4 of 4

noun (2)

often capitalized

: beatnik

Phrases

beat about the bush or beat around the bush

: to fail or refuse to come to the point in discourse

Stop beating around the bush and tell me what you want.

beat a retreat

: to leave in haste

beat it

: to hurry away : scram

: hurry, rush

beat one's brains out

: to try intently to resolve something difficult by thinking

I beat my brains out trying to figure it out.

beat the bushes

: to search thoroughly through all possible areas

beat the drum

: to proclaim as meritorious or significant : publicize vigorously

beating the drum for their candidate

beat the pants off

: to defeat or surpass overwhelmingly

We vowed to beat the pants off them next time.

beat the rap

: to escape or evade the penalties connected with an accusation or charge

beat up on

: to attack physically or verbally

She was getting beat up on by her critics.

to beat the band

: in a very energetic or forceful manner

talking away to beat the band

miss a beat

chiefly US : to have difficulty in continuing : to stop or hesitate briefly

—often used in negative constructions

A few minutes later, the power cuts out …, but Achmed doesn't miss a beat; clearly, he's used to this.—

Eric Weiner

Synonyms

Verb

bash
baste
bat
batter
belabor
belt
birch
bludgeon
buffet
bung up
club
curry
do
drub
fib [British]
flog
hammer
hide
lace
lambaste
lambast
lash
lather
lick
maul
mess (up)
paddle
pelt
pommel
pound
pummel
punch out
rough (up)
slate
slog
switch
tan
thrash
thresh
thump
tromp
wallop
whale
whip
whop
whap
whup
work over

Noun (1)

bang
bash
bat
belt
biff
blow
bop
box
buffet
bust
chop
clap
clip
clout
crack
cuff
dab
douse [British]
fillip
hack
haymaker
hit
hook
knock
larrup [dialect]
lash
lick
pelt
pick
plump
poke
pound
punch
rap
slam
slap
slug
smack
smash
sock
spank
stinger
stripe
stroke
swat
swipe
switch
thud
thump
thwack
wallop
welt
whack
wham
whop
whap

Adjective

all in
aweary [archaic]
beaten
bleary
burned-out
burnt-out
bushed
dead
done
drained
exhausted
fatigued
jaded
knackered [British]
limp
logy
loggy
played out
pooped [slang]
prostrate
spent
tapped out
tired
tuckered (out)
washed-out
wearied
weary
wiped out
worn
worn-out

See all Synonyms & Antonyms

Example Sentences

Verb He beat the dust out of the rug with a stick. She used a hammer to beat the metal into shape. She used a hammer to beat the nail into the wall. The dented metal was beaten flat. The waves were beating the shore. He beat at the door with his fists. The waves were beating on the shore. The rain beat on the roof. They beat him with clubs. a man accused of beating his wife Adjective Let me sit down. I'm absolutely beat! can we pick this up tomorrow, because I'm beat? See More

Recent Examples on the Web

Verb

When Evans got sidetracked after Williams beat him, Williams began to fully feel the pressure of being the NFL’s only Black starting quarterback. —

Stephen Borelli, USA TODAY, 13 Feb. 2023 The first Super Bowl involving both No. 1 seeds since the Eagles beat the Patriots 41-33 in February 2018 lived up to its hype. —

Rob Maaddi, Anchorage Daily News, 13 Feb. 2023 As Tampa Bay Buccaneers beat reporter Jon Ledyard of Pewter Report pointed out after the game, the quality of officiating won’t change unless the players push for it. —

Dj Siddiqi, Forbes, 13 Feb. 2023 Lerner was born in 1925, the year after the Washington Senators beat the New York Giants in the World Series. —

Stephen Whyno, ajc, 13 Feb. 2023 The first Super Bowl involving both No. 1 seeds since the Eagles beat the Patriots in February 2018 lived up to its hype. —

Rob Maaddi, Hartford Courant, 13 Feb. 2023 Shortly after the Kansas City Chiefs beat the Philadelphia Eagles at the big game on Sunday evening, the athlete, 27, shared a photo on his Instagram Story documenting his post-game festivities. —

Nicholas Rice, Peoplemag, 13 Feb. 2023 The first Super Bowl involving both No. 1 seeds since the Eagles beat the Patriots 41-33 in February 2018 lived up to its hype. —

Dallas News, 12 Feb. 2023 Fred VanVleet scored 35 points, topping 30 for a career-best ninth time this season, and Pascal Siakam added 28 points as the Toronto Raptors beat the visiting Detroit Pistons 119-118 Sunday for their fourth win in five games. —

San Francisco Chronicle, 12 Feb. 2023

Noun

Thirty seconds a beat seems a bit hyperbolic, but Certified Trapper is a prolific artist who dropped a whopping 14 mixtapes in 2022 alone (even while being incarcerated last summer). —

Andre Gee, Rolling Stone, 17 Feb. 2023 Some narrative cartwheels are pulled in order to get the gang back together, with one particularly timely story beat calling back to the previous incarnation’s Great Recession roots. —

Erik Adams, Chron, 16 Feb. 2023 He has twice been named one of the top 10 beat writers in the country by the AP Sports Editors. —

Dallas News, 16 Feb. 2023 Collins is fresh off her beat as White House correspondent for CNN with no previous experience as an anchor. —

Jonah Valdez, Los Angeles Times, 16 Feb. 2023 The only genre that takes a hit is electronic music, where the beat drops are much more subdued. —

Dan Roe, Popular Mechanics, 14 Feb. 2023 The 23-year-old singer-songwriter has made a name for herself by creating unapologetic, unfiltered lyrics about the imperfections of the human experience, all sung to an undeniably catchy beat. —

Lizzie Hyman, Peoplemag, 14 Feb. 2023 Sonos declined to use the beat as justification for raising its revenue projection for the full fiscal year ending in September. —

Dan Gallagher, WSJ, 9 Feb. 2023 But even though consumption is rising, the energy transition isn’t losing a beat as fossil fuel use is expected to decline while renewable energy sources and nuclear power will fill more than 90% of the new demand. —

Tristan Bove, Fortune, 8 Feb. 2023

Adjective

The key to making real money is licensing a beat multiple times. —

Lily Moayeri, Variety, 2 Dec. 2022 Reporting knowledge of specific game strategy is a no-no for a beat reporter. —

oregonlive, 14 Oct. 2022 He’s handled that well, leaning on those ex-beat reporter’s instincts to quickly identify angles and story lines. —

Globe Staff, BostonGlobe.com, 2 July 2022 The reason these heart-music mappings work is because abnormal heart rhythms tend to form simple inter-beat-interval ratios. —

Grace Leslie, Scientific American, 18 Sep. 2021 The same way that a shoe ties an outfit together or a good headband can tie a wig together, a lip color can have just the same impact on a beat face. —

Essence, 28 July 2021 That information, known as inter-beat intervals, could help doctors gauge how well your heart is functioning. —

Washington Post, 9 Mar. 2021 See More

Word History

Etymology

Verb

Middle English beten, from Old English bēatan; akin to Old High German bōzan to beat

Noun (1)

noun derivative of beat entry 1

Adjective

from past participle of beat entry 1

Noun (2)

from beat entry 3 in beat generation, or by shortening of beatnik

First Known Use

Verb

before the 12th century, in the meaning defined at transitive sense 1

Noun (1)

circa 1625, in the meaning defined at sense 1a

Adjective

1800, in the meaning defined at sense 1a

Noun (2)

1957, in the meaning defined above

Kids Definition

beat

1 of 3 verb

ˈbēt

beat; beaten ˈbēt-ᵊn How to pronounce beat (audio)

or beat; beating

: to hit again and again

beat a drum

rain beating on the roof

—often used with up

two bullies beat him up

: to flap against

wings beating the air

: to mix by stirring : whip

beat two eggs

: to drive or force by blows

beat off the intruder

: to make by walking or riding over

beat a path

: to shape by blows

beat gold into thin strips

: to cause to strike or flap repeatedly

birds beating their wings

: to win against : defeat

: baffle entry 1 sense 1

it beats me where they are

: surpass sense 1

can you beat that?

: to act ahead of

beat me to the punch

: to arrive before

beat us home

: to measure or mark off by strokes

beat time to the music

: to glare or strike harshly

the sun beats down

: pulsate, throb

the heart beating

beater noun

beat

2 of 3 noun

: a stroke or blow especially in a series

: pulsation

: a sound produced by or as if by beating

the beat of waves against the rock

: a rhythmic stress in poetry or music

: the tempo given to a musical performer

: rhythm sense 2

likes music with a Latin beat

: a place or area regularly visited in the course of work or duty

a police officer's beat

a reporter's beat

beat

3 of 3 adjective

: being tired out

: having lost one's morale

单词	beat it
释义	beat 1 of 4 verb ˈbēt beat; beaten ˈbē-tᵊn or beat; beating; beats transitive verb 1 : to strike repeatedly: a : to hit repeatedly so as to inflict pain Inmates were put in solitary for beating other inmates. —often used with up … brutes who beat up their victims without compunction …—J. H. Plumb b : to walk on : tread beat the pavement looking for work c : to strike directly against forcefully and repeatedly : dash against waves beating the shore beat the door with her fists d : to flap or thrash at vigorously a trapped bird beating the air e hunting : to strike at in order to rouse game beating a hedgerow also : to range over in or as if in quest of game … beat the woods and rouse the bounding prey … —Matthew Prior f : to mix by stirring : whip beat the eggs —often used with up g : to strike repeatedly in order to produce music or a signal beat a drum 2 a : to drive or force by blows beat back his attackers b : to pound into a powder, paste, or pulp c : to make by repeated treading or driving over beat a path through the woods d(1) : to dislodge by repeated hitting beat dust from the carpet (2) : to lodge securely by repeated striking beat a stake into the ground e : to shape by beating beat swords into plowshares especially : to flatten thin by blows f : to sound or express especially by drumbeat beating out a rhythm on the conga 3 : to cause to strike or flap repeatedly a bird beating its wings 4 a : overcome, defeat beat the insurgents in a bloody battle beating your opponent in chess They beat us 14 to 3. also : surpass She beat the old record by three seconds. —often used with out Someone else beat her out for the job. b : to prevail despite beat the odds c : bewilder, baffle it beats me how she does it d(1) : fatigue, exhaust (2) : to leave dispirited, irresolute, or hopeless Years of failure had beaten him down. e : cheat, swindle beat him out of his inheritance 5 a(1) : to act ahead of usually so as to forestall I was going to make the suggestion, but she beat me to it. (2) journalism : to report a news item in advance of beat the other networks b : to come or arrive before I beat him to the finish line. c : circumvent beat the system d sports : to outmaneuver (a defender) and get free The player attempts to beat the defender and score. e sports : to score against (a goalkeeper) 6 : to produce (music or a signal) by striking something repeatedly : to indicate by beating beat the tempo intransitive verb 1 a : to become forcefully propelled forward : dash waves beating against the shore b : to glare or strike with oppressive intensity The sun beat down on us. c : to sustain distracting activity … the turbulence of the Renaissance … beating about his head …—Douglas Stewart d : to strike a drum repeatedly : to beat a drum The drummers kept beating. 2 a(1) : pulsate, throb Her heart beat wildly. (2) : tick the beating of a clock b : to sound upon being struck the sound of a beating drum 3 a : to strike repeated blows beating on the door … their air attack still beating upon us …—Sir Winston Churchill b : to strike the air : flap The bird's wings beat frantically. c hunting : to strike bushes or other cover in order to rouse game also : to range or scour for or as if for game 4 : to progress with much difficulty 5 nautical : to sail to windward by a series of zigzag movements beating along the coast beatable ˈbē-tə-bəl adjective beat 2 of 4 noun (1) 1 a : a single stroke or blow especially in a series a single beat on a drum also : pulsation, tick b : a sound produced by or as if by beating (see beat entry 1) dance to the beat of the drums listening to the beat of his heart c : a driving impact or force … the full force of the surf beat …—Joyce Allan … the fierce beat of the eastern sun.—T. B. Costain 2 : one swing of the pendulum or balance (see balance entry 1 sense 9) of a timepiece 3 a : a regularly traversed round (see round entry 3 sense 6a) a cop patrolling her beat b journalism : a group of news sources that a reporter covers regularly a reporter on the beat 4 a : a metrical or rhythmic stress in poetry or music or the rhythmic effect of these stresses four beats per bar keeping a steady beat b music : the tempo indicated (as by a conductor) to a musical performer c music : the pronounced rhythm (see rhythm sense 2b) that is the characteristic driving force in some types of music (such as jazz or rock) music with a Latin beat also : rock entry 2 sense 2 5 a : one that excels I've never seen the beat of it b journalism : the reporting of a news story ahead of competitors 6 : deadbeat 7 nautical a : an act of sailing toward the side or direction from which the wind is blowing by a series of zigzag movements : an act of beating (see beat entry 1 sense intransitive 5) to windward b : one of the reaches (see reach entry 2 sense 1) in the zigzag course so traversed : tack 8 physics : each of the pulsations of amplitude (see amplitude sense 1a) produced by the union of sound or radio waves or electric currents having different frequencies 9 dance : an accented stroke (as of one leg or foot against the other) 10 : moment waited a beat before responding beatless ˈbēt-ləs adjective beat 3 of 4 adjective 1 a : being in a state of exhaustion : exhausted Sometimes I'd be so beat that I'd flop down and go to sleep fully dressed.—Polly Adler b : sapped of resolution or morale 2 often capitalized [earliest in beat generation; perhaps in part by association with beat entry 2 in sense "pronounced rhythm" or -beat in deadbeat entry 1] : of, relating to, or being beatniks beat poets beat 4 of 4 noun (2) often capitalized : beatnik Phrases beat about the bush or beat around the bush : to fail or refuse to come to the point in discourse Stop beating around the bush and tell me what you want. beat a retreat : to leave in haste beat it 1 : to hurry away : scram 2 : hurry, rush beat one's brains out : to try intently to resolve something difficult by thinking I beat my brains out trying to figure it out. beat the bushes : to search thoroughly through all possible areas beat the drum : to proclaim as meritorious or significant : publicize vigorously beating the drum for their candidate beat the pants off : to defeat or surpass overwhelmingly We vowed to beat the pants off them next time. beat the rap : to escape or evade the penalties connected with an accusation or charge beat up on : to attack physically or verbally She was getting beat up on by her critics. to beat the band : in a very energetic or forceful manner talking away to beat the band miss a beat chiefly US : to have difficulty in continuing : to stop or hesitate briefly —often used in negative constructions A few minutes later, the power cuts out …, but Achmed doesn't miss a beat; clearly, he's used to this.—Eric Weiner Synonyms Verb bash baste bat batter belabor belt birch bludgeon buffet bung up club curry do drub fib [British] flog hammer hide lace lambaste lambast lash lather lick maul mess (up) paddle pelt pommel pound pummel punch out rough (up) slate slog switch tan thrash thresh thump tromp wallop whale whip whop whap whup work over Noun (1) bang bash bat belt biff blow bop box buffet bust chop clap clip clout crack cuff dab douse [British] fillip hack haymaker hit hook knock larrup [dialect] lash lick pelt pick plump poke pound punch rap slam slap slug smack smash sock spank stinger stripe stroke swat swipe switch thud thump thwack wallop welt whack wham whop whap Adjective all in aweary [archaic] beaten bleary burned-out burnt-out bushed dead done drained exhausted fatigued jaded knackered [British] limp logy loggy played out pooped [slang] prostrate spent tapped out tired tuckered (out) washed-out wearied weary wiped out worn worn-out See all Synonyms & Antonyms Example Sentences Verb He beat the dust out of the rug with a stick. She used a hammer to beat the metal into shape. She used a hammer to beat the nail into the wall. The dented metal was beaten flat. The waves were beating the shore. He beat at the door with his fists. The waves were beating on the shore. The rain beat on the roof. They beat him with clubs. a man accused of beating his wife Adjective Let me sit down. I'm absolutely beat! can we pick this up tomorrow, because I'm beat? See More Recent Examples on the Web Verb When Evans got sidetracked after Williams beat him, Williams began to fully feel the pressure of being the NFL’s only Black starting quarterback. —Stephen Borelli, USA TODAY, 13 Feb. 2023 The first Super Bowl involving both No. 1 seeds since the Eagles beat the Patriots 41-33 in February 2018 lived up to its hype. —Rob Maaddi, Anchorage Daily News, 13 Feb. 2023 As Tampa Bay Buccaneers beat reporter Jon Ledyard of Pewter Report pointed out after the game, the quality of officiating won’t change unless the players push for it. —Dj Siddiqi, Forbes, 13 Feb. 2023 Lerner was born in 1925, the year after the Washington Senators beat the New York Giants in the World Series. —Stephen Whyno, ajc, 13 Feb. 2023 The first Super Bowl involving both No. 1 seeds since the Eagles beat the Patriots in February 2018 lived up to its hype. —Rob Maaddi, Hartford Courant, 13 Feb. 2023 Shortly after the Kansas City Chiefs beat the Philadelphia Eagles at the big game on Sunday evening, the athlete, 27, shared a photo on his Instagram Story documenting his post-game festivities. —Nicholas Rice, Peoplemag, 13 Feb. 2023 The first Super Bowl involving both No. 1 seeds since the Eagles beat the Patriots 41-33 in February 2018 lived up to its hype. —Dallas News, 12 Feb. 2023 Fred VanVleet scored 35 points, topping 30 for a career-best ninth time this season, and Pascal Siakam added 28 points as the Toronto Raptors beat the visiting Detroit Pistons 119-118 Sunday for their fourth win in five games. —San Francisco Chronicle, 12 Feb. 2023 Noun Thirty seconds a beat seems a bit hyperbolic, but Certified Trapper is a prolific artist who dropped a whopping 14 mixtapes in 2022 alone (even while being incarcerated last summer). —Andre Gee, Rolling Stone, 17 Feb. 2023 Some narrative cartwheels are pulled in order to get the gang back together, with one particularly timely story beat calling back to the previous incarnation’s Great Recession roots. —Erik Adams, Chron, 16 Feb. 2023 He has twice been named one of the top 10 beat writers in the country by the AP Sports Editors. —Dallas News, 16 Feb. 2023 Collins is fresh off her beat as White House correspondent for CNN with no previous experience as an anchor. —Jonah Valdez, Los Angeles Times, 16 Feb. 2023 The only genre that takes a hit is electronic music, where the beat drops are much more subdued. —Dan Roe, Popular Mechanics, 14 Feb. 2023 The 23-year-old singer-songwriter has made a name for herself by creating unapologetic, unfiltered lyrics about the imperfections of the human experience, all sung to an undeniably catchy beat. —Lizzie Hyman, Peoplemag, 14 Feb. 2023 Sonos declined to use the beat as justification for raising its revenue projection for the full fiscal year ending in September. —Dan Gallagher, WSJ, 9 Feb. 2023 But even though consumption is rising, the energy transition isn’t losing a beat as fossil fuel use is expected to decline while renewable energy sources and nuclear power will fill more than 90% of the new demand. —Tristan Bove, Fortune, 8 Feb. 2023 Adjective The key to making real money is licensing a beat multiple times. —Lily Moayeri, Variety, 2 Dec. 2022 Reporting knowledge of specific game strategy is a no-no for a beat reporter. —oregonlive, 14 Oct. 2022 He’s handled that well, leaning on those ex-beat reporter’s instincts to quickly identify angles and story lines. —Globe Staff, BostonGlobe.com, 2 July 2022 The reason these heart-music mappings work is because abnormal heart rhythms tend to form simple inter-beat-interval ratios. —Grace Leslie, Scientific American, 18 Sep. 2021 The same way that a shoe ties an outfit together or a good headband can tie a wig together, a lip color can have just the same impact on a beat face. —Essence, 28 July 2021 That information, known as inter-beat intervals, could help doctors gauge how well your heart is functioning. —Washington Post, 9 Mar. 2021 See More Word History Etymology Verb Middle English beten, from Old English bēatan; akin to Old High German bōzan to beat Noun (1) noun derivative of beat entry 1 Adjective from past participle of beat entry 1 Noun (2) from beat entry 3 in beat generation, or by shortening of beatnik First Known Use Verb before the 12th century, in the meaning defined at transitive sense 1 Noun (1) circa 1625, in the meaning defined at sense 1a Adjective 1800, in the meaning defined at sense 1a Noun (2) 1957, in the meaning defined above Phrases Containing beat beat/bang the drum for beat/bash someone's brains out/in beat a dead horse beat/turn swords into plowshares beat off beat back beat a path beat around the bush beat one's brains out beat the clock beat (someone) to the punch beat the odds beat the pants off beat the heat beat them to a (bloody) pulp be hard/tough to beat big beat beat the (living) daylights out of beat-up break beat made her heart skip a beat miss a beat heart skips a beat to beat the band stick with which to beat (someone) stick to beat (someone) with beat someone at their own game beat one to it made/beat a hasty retreat world beat beat out beat it march to the beat of a different drummer beat/kick the (living) shit beat the rap beat a path to your door beat the drum beat a retreat beat the bushes beat about the bush beat up on See More beat/bang the drum for beat/bash someone's brains out/in beat a dead horse beat/turn swords into plowshares beat off beat back beat a path beat around the bush beat one's brains out beat the clock beat (someone) to the punch beat the odds beat the pants off beat the heat beat them to a (bloody) pulp be hard/tough to beat big beat beat the (living) daylights out of beat-up break beat made her heart skip a beat miss a beat heart skips a beat to beat the band stick with which to beat (someone) stick to beat (someone) with beat someone at their own game beat one to it made/beat a hasty retreat world beat beat out beat it march to the beat of a different drummer beat/kick the (living) shit beat the rap beat a path to your door beat the drum beat a retreat beat the bushes beat about the bush beat up on See More Kids Definition beat 1 of 3 verb ˈbēt beat; beaten ˈbēt-ᵊn or beat; beating 1 a : to hit again and again beat a drum rain beating on the roof —often used with up two bullies beat him up b : to flap against wings beating the air c : to mix by stirring : whip beat two eggs 2 a : to drive or force by blows beat off the intruder b : to make by walking or riding over beat a path c : to shape by blows beat gold into thin strips 3 : to cause to strike or flap repeatedly birds beating their wings 4 a : to win against : defeat b : baffle entry 1 sense 1 it beats me where they are c : surpass sense 1 can you beat that? 5 a : to act ahead of beat me to the punch b : to arrive before beat us home 6 : to measure or mark off by strokes beat time to the music 7 : to glare or strike harshly the sun beats down 8 : pulsate, throb the heart beating beater noun beat 2 of 3 noun 1 a : a stroke or blow especially in a series b : pulsation c : a sound produced by or as if by beating the beat of waves against the rock 2 a : a rhythmic stress in poetry or music b : the tempo given to a musical performer c : rhythm sense 2 likes music with a Latin beat 3 : a place or area regularly visited in the course of work or duty a police officer's beat a reporter's beat beat 3 of 3 adjective 1 : being tired out 2 : having lost one's morale Medical Definition beat 1 of 2 intransitive verb ˈbēt beat; beaten ˈbēt-ᵊn or beat; beating : pulsate, throb beat 2 of 2 noun : a single stroke or pulsation (as of the heart) ectopic beats see extrasystole beat it phrase 1 as in speed to proceed or move quickly Let's beat it before we miss the start of the movie. Synonyms & Similar Words Relevance speed race travel hurry fly rush drive trot scurry zip chase jump run buzz blow scoot step step on it bowl dart blast tear scuttle dash rip course zoom ram bolt jog shoot barrel motor breeze crack (on) blaze bundle rocket shake a leg hare belt hie career whirl hump jet hustle hurl rustle whisk cannonball pelt hotfoot (it) nip hasten make tracks bustle bomb highball get a move on gallop careen hurtle step out flit beetle catch up scuffle scamper streak sprint accelerate scud whiz stampede outrun overtake arrow outpace whizz quicken outstrip beeline fast-forward Antonyms & Near Antonyms hang (around or out) creep crawl drag linger lag poke slow (down or up) stroll poke tarry lumber dawdle shuffle saunter amble dally loiter dillydally decelerate plod See More 2 as in fly to hasten away from something dangerous or frightening They beat it out of there when the cops showed up. Synonyms & Similar Words fly retreat flee bolt run beat a retreat escape run off bug out run away turn tail break make tracks get out clear out light out hightail (it) skirr skedaddle make off skip (out) scat lam get (away) abscond decamp scram elope scarper mizzle Antonyms & Near Antonyms confront face brave dare beard remain stay hang around linger dwell stick around defy abide tarry See More 3 as in move to leave a place often for another She grew bored of her hometown and decided to beat it. Synonyms & Similar Words move exit depart get go peel off get off cut out pull out bail out walk out clear out push off run along bug out clear off dig out push on part escape evacuate go off start bugger off bug off flee quit take off fly set out bail take a powder take a hike buzz (off) strike out book take a walk hit the road pull up stakes step (along) pull stakes withdraw get out shove (off) pike (out or off) retire begone step out sally (forth) retreat skip run away light out vamoose emigrate scarper pack (up or off) go out remove desert scat abandon abscond decamp scram vacate forsake mizzle adjourn Antonyms & Near Antonyms turn up come arrive remain show up stay close approach near settle lodge reach hit dwell land abide tarry See More
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beat

verb

noun (1)

adjective

noun (2)

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Phrases Containing beat

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