Definition of beat - Reverso English Dictionary
Verb
1.
physical actiontr./intr. strike repeatedlytr./intr.
- He used a stick to beat the rug clean..
2.
competitiontr. defeat or do better than someonetr.
- She beat her opponent in the final match.
3.
rhythmic movementintr. move with pulsation or throbbingintr.
- His heart began to beat faster.
4.
cookingtr./intr. mix food rapidlytr./intr.
- Beat the eggs until fluffy.
5.
timingtr. US arrive before someonetr. US
- We beat them to the finish line.
Noun
1.
rhythmrhythmic unit in music or poetry
- The beat of the drum was hypnotic..
2.
physical actionstroke or blow
- He felt the beat of the drum.
3.
rhythmregular pulsation or throb
- The beat of the heart was steady.
4.
patrol arearegular route or area patrolled by a policeman or a guard
- He walked his beat with a keen sense of awareness..
5.
dramashort pause for dramatic effect
- There was a beat before she answered.
6.
sound interferenceTECH. interference between two similar frequenciesTECH.
- The beat created a unique sound effect.
7.
cultureDated US writer or artist from the 1950s who challenged social normsDated US
- He was a famous beat in the 1950s.
Adjective
1.
- After the marathon, I felt completely beat.
2.
- The old car looked beat after years of use.
3.
cultureDated US related to 1950s American writers who rejected social normsDated US
- He was a fan of beat literature and culture.
Expressions with beat
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create a rhythm on a percussion instrument
She beat out a rhythm on the drums.
hit someone repeatedly causing injury
The gang decided to beat up the intruder.
strike something until it breaks or is damaged
The burglars tried to beat in the door.
extremely tired or exhausted after effort
After the marathon, she felt dead beat.
strike a drum to produce sound
The musician beat a drum during the concert.
move wings up and down to fly or try to fly
The bird beat its wings and took off.
overcome the discomfort of hot weather
Drinking cold lemonade helps beat the heat.
arrive or act early to avoid crowds or waiting
We left early to beat the rush.
extremely good or impressive
Her performance in the play was hard to beat.
fail to keep the rhythm in music
The drummer missed the beat during the performance.
criticize someone harshly and repeatedly
The politician was beat like a drum by the media.
heart beating very fast and hard because of strong feeling
His heart beat like a jungle drum as he waited for the results.
someone did something before you could
I was going to call, but you beat me to it.
successfully use someone's methods and strategies against them
She beat the bully at their own game, using his tricks against him.
do something before someone else does
I wanted to call her, but you beat me to it.
search everywhere to find something or someone
They beat the bushes for any sign of the lost dog.
finish a task before time runs out
She managed to beat the clock and submit her test.
arrive before many others to avoid crowds
We left early to beat the crowd at the concert.
hit someone or something very violently many times
The gang threatened to beat the hell out of him.
win by a large margin, strongly outperform an opponent
Our team beat the pants off them in the final game.
leave early to avoid traffic jams
We left at 6 AM to beat the traffic.
damage something severely by hitting
They beat the old car to a pulp with sledgehammers.
act more quickly than someone else in a contest
She beat him to the draw and answered first.
act before someone else by anticipating their move
She beat him to the punch and got the job.
Origin of beat
Old English, beatan (to strike)
Terms with beat included in their meaning
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action
beat strongly or throb
music
perform lyrics rhythmically over a beat
steady beat
flow or regularity in movement or sound
music
popular music style with a strong beat, often using guitars
cooking
beat or stir vigorously
music
understand and follow the beat in music
music
move in sync with another's music or beat
music
fail to maintain a consistent beat
beat pattern
timing and pace in a musical piece
ballroom dance
dance in triple time with a strong accent on the first beat
cooking
beat or stir something vigorously
competition
beat in a contest or competition
gaming
beat a video game
defeat
beat someone easily in a competition
rhythm
beat or throb in a sequence
competition
defeat or beat someone overwhelmingly in a competition
music
dance to music with a strong beat
competition
in a way that tries to win or beat others
heart
beat abnormally rapidly
music
type of electronic dance music with a steady beat
defeat
beat others strongly in a fight or competition
music
producing a strong, regular beat
music
having a regular, repetitive pattern or beat
band
play loud, energetic guitar-based popular music with a strong beat
Examples of beat in a sentence
The chef began to beat the eggs vigorously. He beat the previous record by two seconds. They beat their rivals to win the championship. The music made everyone beat in unison. The drum began to beat loudly. She beat the batter until smooth.
Beat the cream until it forms peaks. She managed to beat him to the meeting. They beat the others to the restaurant reservation. The beat of the song made everyone want to dance. He tapped his foot to the beat of the music. The beat of the hammer echoed through the workshop. She danced to the beat of the music, lost in rhythm. The drummer kept a steady beat. We danced to the beat from the next room. The officer knew every corner of his beat. He encountered many familiar faces on his beat. He paused for a beat before continuing his speech. The actor took a beat to let the audience react. The technician heard a slow beat between the two tones. Two nearby frequencies produced an audible beat. The beat wrote poetry in coffee shops. She admired the beat for his unconventional lifestyle. She was beat after working a double shift at the hospital. By the end of the day, everyone felt beat from the long hike. Her shoes looked beat after the long hike. The sofa was beat from years of heavy use. The beat poets gathered for a reading. She admired the beat aesthetic in art.
View all translations of beat
Click below to see the appropriate translations facing each meaning.
- French:battre, battement, ...
- German:schlagen, Takt, ...
- Italian:picchiare, battito, ...
- Spanish:aporrear, compás, ...
- Portuguese:bater, batida, ...
- Chinese:敲打, 拍子, ...
- Japanese:叩く, ビート, ...
- Arabic:ضَرَبَ, إيقاع, ...
- Hebrew:לְהַכּוֹת, פְּעִימָה, ...
- Russian:бить, такт, ...
- Ukrainian:бити, ритм, ...
- Hindi:पीटना, ताल, ...
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