To shine or fall intensely (of sun or rain); to defeat or suppress someone forcefully; or to negotiate a lower price.
When the sun is really hot and strong, or when you force someone down or get them to lower their price.
3 meanings, ordered from most common to least. Color-coded by CEFR level.
Of the sun or rain: to shine or fall with great intensity and force.
"The afternoon sun beat down on the hikers as they crossed the desert."
The sun beat down on the Salinas Valley.
— John Steinbeck, East of Eden, 1952
To defeat or suppress a person or group harshly and completely.
"The uprising was beaten down by government forces within days."
To persuade a seller to lower their price through negotiation.
"She managed to beat the dealer down by two hundred dollars on the car."
To hit something downward with force repeatedly.
When the sun is really hot and strong, or when you force someone down or get them to lower their price.
The weather sense (sun beating down) is intransitive and very common. The negotiation sense is informal and separable. The sense of suppressing people is used in historical and political contexts.
Natural word combinations native speakers use most often.
The five tense forms you'll use most often.
Listen to native speakers using "beat down" in real YouTube videos — click a clip to watch it on Looplines.
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