Definition of beat
(Entry 1 of 4)
1
: to strike repeatedly:
a
: to hit repeatedly so as to inflict pain
He was arrested for beating his wife.
—often used with up … thugs and 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
2a
: 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
b
: to prevail despite
beat the odds
5a(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
1a
: 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.
b
: to sound upon being struck
the sound of a beating drum
3a
: 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
beat about the bush
or beat around the bush
beat a retreat
beat it
beat one's brains out
beat the bushes
beat the drum
beat the pants off
beat the rap
beat up on
to beat the band
: to fail or refuse to come to the point in discourse
Stop beating around the bush and tell me what you want.
: to leave in haste
: to try intently to resolve something difficult by thinking
I beat my brains out trying to figure it out.
: to search thoroughly through all possible areas
: to proclaim as meritorious or significant : publicize vigorously
beating the drum for their candidate
: to defeat or surpass overwhelmingly
We vowed to beat the pants off them next time.
: to escape or evade the penalties connected with an accusation or charge
: to attack physically or verbally
She was getting beat up on by her critics.
: in a very energetic or forceful manner
talking away to beat the band
beat
noun (1)Definition of beat (Entry 2 of 4)
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
3a
: 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
4a
: a metrical or rhythmic stress in poetry or music or the rhythmic effect of these stresses
four beats per bar keeping a steady beat
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
5a
: 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
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
beat
adjectiveDefinition of beat (Entry 3 of 4)
1a
: 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
Definition of beat (Entry 4 of 4)
: beatnik
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Time Traveler for beat
The first known use of beat was before the 12th century
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