beatnik /bētˈnik/ noun

1. One of the beat generation (orig in US), bohemian poets, etc who, in the 1950s, dissociated themselves from the aims of contemporary society
2. A young person whose behaviour, dress, etc is unconventional

beatˈbox noun (informal)

1. An electronic drum machine
2. A ghetto-blaster

To imitate an electronic drum machine using the voice

beatˈ-'em-up noun (informal)

A type of computer game in which an unarmed character has to fight against several enemies

beat music noun

Popular music with a very pronounced rhythm

beatˈ-up adjective (informal)

Dilapidated through excessive use

beat about the bush see under bush¹

beat a retreat

1. To retreat, orig to beat the drum as a signal for retreat (beat the retreat to perform the military ceremony (beating the retreat) consisting of marching and military music usu performed at dusk, orig marking the recall of troops to their quarters)
2. To go away in a hurry, esp to avoid punishment or unpleasantness

beat down

Of a buyer, to try to reduce (the price of goods), to persuade (the seller) to settle for less

beat it (slang)

1. To make off hastily or furtively
2. (often as imperative) go away!

beat off

To overcome or repel

beat one's brains or beat one's brains out

To puzzle about something

beat one's breast

To show extravagant signs of grief

beat out

To flatten or reduce in thickness by beating

beat someone's brains out (slang)

1. To kill by hitting repeatedly on the head
2. To subject to a vicious beating

beat someone to it

To manage to do something before someone else can

beat the air

To fight to no purpose, or against an imaginary enemy

beat the bounds

To trace out boundaries in a perambulation, certain objects in the line of journey being formally struck

beat the clock

To do or finish something within the time allowed

beat the pants or socks off (informal)

To defeat thoroughly

beat the retreat see beat a retreat above.

beat up

1. To pound or whip into froth, paste, a mixture, etc
2. To put up game, by beating the bushes, etc
3. To alarm by a sudden attack
4. (also in US beat up on) to thrash, to subject to a violent and brutal attack (informal)
5. To disturb
6. To arouse
7. To go about in quest of anything
8. To make way against wind or tide

(it) beats me (informal)

I have no idea what the answer is

take a beating (informal)

To suffer physical or verbal chastisement

take some (or a lot of) beating (informal)

To be of very high quality, ie to be difficult to surpass