(~s, ~ing, ~en)
Frequency: The word is one of the 700 most common words in English.
Note: The form '~' is used in the present tense and is the past tense.
1.
If you ~ someone or something, you hit them very hard.
My wife tried to stop them and they ~ her...
They were ~en to death with baseball bats.
VERB: V n, V n to n
2.
To ~ on, at, or against something means to hit it hard, usually several times or continuously for a period of time.
There was dead silence but for a fly ~ing against the glass...
Nina managed to free herself and began ~ing at the flames with a pillow...
The rain was ~ing on the windowpanes.
= pound
VERB: V against n, V at n, V on n, also V n
•
Beat is also a noun.
...the rhythmic ~ of the surf.
N-SING: usu the N of n
~ing
...the silence broken only by the ~ing of the rain.
N-SING: usu the N of n
3.
When your heart or pulse ~s, it continually makes regular rhythmic movements.
I felt my heart ~ing faster.
VERB: V
•
Beat is also a noun.
He could hear the ~ of his heart...
Most people’s pulse rate is more than 70 ~s per minute.
N-COUNT: usu with supp
~ing
I could hear the ~ing of my heart.
N-SING: usu the N of n
4.
If you ~ a drum or similar instrument, you hit it in order to make a sound. You can also say that a drum ~s.
When you ~ the drum, you feel good.
...drums ~ing and pipes playing.
VERB: V n, V
•
Beat is also a noun.
...the rhythmical ~ of the drum.
N-SING: usu the N of n
5.
The ~ of a piece of music is the main rhythm that it has.
...the thumping ~ of rock music.
N-COUNT: usu sing, the N
6.
In music, a ~ is a unit of measurement. The number of ~s in a bar of a piece of music is indicated by two numbers at the beginning of the piece.
It’s got four ~s to a bar.
N-COUNT: usu pl
see also up~ , down~
7.
If you ~ eggs, cream, or butter, you mix them thoroughly using a fork or ~er.
Beat the eggs and sugar until they start to thicken.
VERB: V n
8.
When a bird or insect ~s its wings or when its wings ~, its wings move up and down.
Beating their wings they flew off...
Its wings ~ slowly.
VERB: V n, V
9.
If you ~ someone in a competition or election, you defeat them.
In yesterday’s games, Switzerland ~ the United States two-one...
She was easily ~en into third place.
VERB: V n, V n into n
10.
If someone ~s a record or achievement, they do better than it.
He was as eager as his Captain to ~ the record.
VERB: V n
11.
If you ~ something that you are fighting against, for example an organization, a problem, or a disease, you defeat it.
It became clear that the Union was not going to ~ the government...
= conquer
VERB: V n
12.
If an attack or an attempt is ~en off or is ~en back, it is stopped, often temporarily.
The rescuers were ~en back by strong winds and currents...
South Africa’s ruling National Party has ~en off a right-wing challenge.
VERB: usu passive, be V-ed adv, V adv n
13.
If you say that one thing ~s another, you mean that it is better than it. (INFORMAL)
Being boss of a software firm ~s selling insurance...
VERB: no cont, V n
14.
If you say you can’t ~ a particular thing you mean that it is the best thing of its kind.
You can’t ~ soap and water for cleansing.
VERB: no cont, V n
15.
To ~ a time limit or an event means to achieve something before that time or event.
They were trying to ~ the midnight deadline...
VERB: V n
16.
A police officer’s or journalist’s ~ is the area for which he or she is responsible.
N-COUNT
17.
You use ~ in expressions such as ‘It ~s me’ or ‘What ~s me is’ to indicate that you cannot understand or explain something. (INFORMAL, SPOKEN)
‘What am I doing wrong, anyway?’—‘Beats me, Lewis.’...
PHRASE
18.
see also ~en , ~en-up , ~ing , ~-up
19.
If you intend to do something but someone ~s you to it, they do it before you do.
Don’t be too long about it or you’ll find someone has ~en you to it.
PHRASE: V inflects
20.
A police officer on the ~ is on duty, walking around the area for which he or she is responsible.
The officer on the ~ picks up information; hears cries for help; makes people feel safe.
PHRASE: usu n PHR, v-link PHR
21.
If you ~ time to a piece of music, you move your hand or foot up and down in time with the music. A conductor ~s time to show the choir or orchestra how fast they should sing or play the music.
He ~s time with hands and feet.
= keep time
PHRASE: V inflects
22.
to ~ someone black and blue: see black
to ~ about the bush: see bush
to ~ or knock the living daylights out of someone : see daylights
to ~ the drum for someone or something : see drum
to ~ someone at their own game: see game
to ~ a retreat: see retreat
to ~ the shit out of someone : see shit
to kick the shit out of someone : see shit
to knock the shit out of someone : see shit