beat about
B2 informal intransitive
In simple words
When you don't say what you really mean and talk about other things instead.
Literal meaning: To strike or move around the surrounding bushes — originally from hunting, where beaters would strike bushes to flush out birds.
Meanings
1 B2
idiomatic
informal
To avoid speaking directly about the main subject; to waste time with irrelevant talk before getting to the point.
"Stop beating about and just tell me whether you got the job or not."
"Don't beat about the bush — say what you mean."
— Common British idiomatic usage; widely cited as a standard British English expression in usage guides such as Fowler's Modern English Usage.
Usage notes
Almost exclusively used in the fixed phrase 'beat about the bush' (British English); the American equivalent is 'beat around the bush'. Rarely used in isolation outside this idiom.
Commonly used with
bush topic point subject
Forms
Base
beat about
I/you/we/they
3rd person
beats about
he/she/it
Past simple
beat about
yesterday
Past participle
beaten about
have + pp
-ing form
beating about
continuous
Understand "beat about" better
Try:
Real video examples
Video examples are being collected. Check back soon.
Want to master this phrasal verb?
Practice "beat about" on Looplines