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- DictionaryBeat/bēt/
verb
- 1. strike (a person or an animal) repeatedly and violently so as to hurt or injure them, typically with an implement such as a club or whip: "if we were caught we were beaten" Similar hitstrikebatterthumphammerpunchknockthrashpoundpummelslapsmackcrackthwackcuffbuffetmaulpeltdrubrain blows onassaultattackabuseflaywhiplashcudgelclubbirchinformal:wallopbeltbashwhackcloutclobberslugtanbiffbopsockdeckpluglay intodo overknock aroundrough upfill inknock into the middle of next weekbeat the living daylights out ofgive someone a good hidingdated:chastise
- ▪ strike (an object) repeatedly so as to make a noise: "he beat the table with his hand" Similar banghitstrikeraptappoundthumphammerplaysoundperform onmake music on
- ▪ (of an instrument) make a rhythmical sound by being struck: "drums were beating in the distance"
- ▪ strike (a carpet, blanket, etc.) repeatedly in order to remove dust: "upright cleaners have a motorized head which beats the carpet to loosen the dirt"
- ▪ flatten or shape (metal) by striking it repeatedly with a hammer: "pure gold can be beaten out to form very thin sheets" Similar hammerforgeformshapemoldworkstampfashionmodelfabricatemakecastframesculptsculpture
- ▪ strike something against (something): "she beat her fists against the wood"
- ▪ strike repeatedly at or on something: "Sid beat on the door with the flat of his hand"
- ▪ move across (an area of land) repeatedly striking at the ground cover in order to raise game birds for shooting.
- 2. defeat (someone) in a game or other competitive situation: "she beat him easily at chess" Similar defeatconquerwin againstget the better ofvanquishtrounceroutoverpowerovercomeoverwhelmoverthrowsubduequashcrushinformal:lickthrashwhipwipe the floor withclobberown
- ▪ overcome (a problem or disease): "he beat heroin addiction in 1992"
- ▪ do or be better than (a record or score): "he beat his own world record" Similar surpassoutdoexceedeclipsetranscendtoptrumpcapbetteroutperformoutstripoutshineoutclassovershadowput in the shadebe better thanimprove ongo one better than
- ▪ be better than: informal "you can't beat the taste of fresh raspberries"
- ▪ baffle: informal "it beats me how you manage to work in this heat"
- 3. succeed in getting somewhere ahead of (someone): "the goalie beat him to the ball"
- ▪ take action to avoid (difficult or inconvenient effects of an event or circumstance): "they set off early to beat the traffic"
- 4. (of the heart) pulsate: "her heart beat faster with panic" Similar pulsatepulsepalpitatevibratethrobreverberatepumppoundthumpthudhammerdrumpitter-pattergo pit-a-patrare:quop
- 5. (of a bird) move (the wings) up and down: "doves wheel around the rooftops, beating their wings" Similar flapfluttermove up and downthreshthrashwaveshakeswingagitatequivertremblevibrateoscillate
- ▪ (of a bird) fly making rhythmic wing movements: "an owl beat low over the salt marsh"
- 6. stir (cooking ingredients) vigorously with a fork, whisk, or beater to make a smooth or frothy mixture: "beat the butter until light and fluffy" Similar whiskmixblendwhipstirfold
- 7. sail into the wind, following a zigzag course with repeated tacking: "we beat southward all that first day"
noun
- 1. a main accent or rhythmic unit in music or poetry: "the glissando begins on the second beat"
- ▪ a strong rhythm in popular music: "the music changed to a funky disco beat" Similar rhythmpulsestressmetertimemeasurecadenceaccentrhythmical flow/pattern
- ▪ a regular, rhythmic sound or movement: "the beat of the wipers became almost hypnotic"
- ▪ the sound made when something, especially a musical instrument, is struck: "he heard the beat of a drum" Similar poundingbangingthumpingthuddingboominghammeringbatteringcrashing
- ▪ a pulsation of the heart. Similar pulsepulsingpulsatingvibrationvibratingthrobthrobbingpalpitationpalpitatingreverberationreverberatingbeatingpumpingpoundingthumpingthuddinghammeringdrummingpitter-patterpit-a-pat
- ▪ a periodic variation of sound or amplitude due to the combination of two sounds, electrical signals, or other vibrations having similar but not identical frequencies.
- 2. the movement of a bird's wings: "the beat of the swallow's wings as they dive after midges"
- 3. an area allocated to a police officer to patrol: "public clamor for more police officers on the beat" Similar circuitroundcourseroutewaypathorbittourturn
- ▪ a spell of duty allocated to a police officer: "her beat ended at 6 a.m."
- ▪ an area regularly frequented by someone, typically a prostitute: "a few, new to their beat, looked at him with interest"
- ▪ a person's area of interest: informal "his beat is construction, property, and hotels"
- 4. a brief pause or moment of hesitation, typically one lasting a specified length: "she waited for a beat of three seconds"
- 5. short for beatnik informal
adjective
- 1. completely exhausted: informal "I'm beat—I need an hour or so to rest"
- 2. relating to the beat generation or its philosophy: "beat poet Allen Ginsberg"
Word Origin Old Englishbēatan, of Germanic origin.
Scrabble Points: 6
B
3E
1A
1T
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