beat
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verb trans.
verb trans., orig US
1: to beat the Dutch = to beat the band. (1775 — 1939).
2: to beat it to go away. (1878 —) .
J. Wyndham Fedor had not waited once the plane was down. He had switched off the lights, and beat it (1951).
3: to beat the band to exceed, surpass, or beat everything. (1897 —) .
A. Christie Well, if that doesn't beat the band! (1923).
4: to beat it up to have rowdy fun, typically resulting in breakages. (1933 —) .
Daily Telegraph What sort of noise did the neighbours complain about? Did the Purdoms and their friends beat it up a little in the evenings? (1958).
5: to beat (something or someone) up of a pilot: to fly low over or 'buzz' (e.g. an airfield) in a threatening manner. (1940 —) .
T. Rattigan I put the old Wimpey into a dive and beat him up—you know, pulled out only a few feet above his head and stooged round him (1942).
6: to beat one's (or the) meatorig US To masturbate. Cf. meat noun . (1967 —) .
J. O'Faolain What did people do in a place like this? Beat their meat probably (1980).adjective
7: Exhausted; esp. in phr. dead beat. (1832 —) .
P. Frankau I was too beat and hazy to take anything in (1954).
[In sense 3, from the earlier sense, to drown the noise made by the band.]
verb trans., orig US
1: to beat the Dutch = to beat the band. (1775 — 1939).
2: to beat it to go away. (1878 —) .
J. Wyndham Fedor had not waited once the plane was down. He had switched off the lights, and beat it (1951).
3: to beat the band to exceed, surpass, or beat everything. (1897 —) .
A. Christie Well, if that doesn't beat the band! (1923).
4: to beat it up to have rowdy fun, typically resulting in breakages. (1933 —) .
Daily Telegraph What sort of noise did the neighbours complain about? Did the Purdoms and their friends beat it up a little in the evenings? (1958).
5: to beat (something or someone) up of a pilot: to fly low over or 'buzz' (e.g. an airfield) in a threatening manner. (1940 —) .
T. Rattigan I put the old Wimpey into a dive and beat him up—you know, pulled out only a few feet above his head and stooged round him (1942).
6: to beat one's (or the) meat
J. O'Faolain What did people do in a place like this? Beat their meat probably (1980).
7: Exhausted; esp. in phr. dead beat. (1832 —) .
P. Frankau I was too beat and hazy to take anything in (1954).
[In sense 3, from the earlier sense, to drown the noise made by the band.]
| beast, beardie, beard | |
| beat-up, beaut, beaver |
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Oxford Dictionary of Modern Slang
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