beat about the bush
phrase
variants
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.
Cite this Entry
“Beat about the bush.” Merriam-Webster.com Dictionary, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/dictionary/beat%20about%20the%20bush. Accessed 20 Dec. 2025.
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Merriam-Webster unabridged
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