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   beat

   /biːt/

   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 about/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 through 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 hammerforgeformshapemouldworkstampfashionmodelfabricatemakecastframesculptsculpture
   • ▪ 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: "they hire boys to beat the Yorkshire moors for game birds"
   • 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): "the president said beating violent crime was his first priority ,"
   • ▪ 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 defender beat him to the ball"
   • ▪ take action to avoid (difficulty or inconvenience): "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 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 southwards 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 rhythmpulsestressmetretimemeasurecadenceaccentrhythmical 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 and patrolled on foot: "his beat was in North London" Similar circuitroundcourseroutewaypathorbittourturn
   • ▪ a spell of duty allocated to a police officer: "his beat ended at 6 a.m"
   • ▪ an area regularly frequented by someone: "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"
   • ▪ a stretch of water fished by an angler: "you don't necessarily have to fish on the priciest beats to find good sport"
   • 4. a brief pause or moment of hesitation: "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

     3

   • E

     1

   • A

     1

   • T

     1

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