beat

verb
UK: /biːt/
US: /biːt/

  1. To hit someone or something repeatedly.

    1. Don't beat the dog, it is cruel to animals. [ ] [ ]
    2. The waves beat against the shore during the storm last night. [ ] [ ]

  2. To defeat someone in a game or competition.

    1. I can beat you at chess easily. [ ] [ ]
    2. Our team beat their rivals in a tough competition final last year. [ ] [ ]

  3. To mix food quickly using a fork or whisk.

    1. Beat the eggs well before you add flour. [ ] [ ]
    2. Beat the cream until it forms soft peaks for the dessert topping. [ ] [ ]

  4. To produce a regular sound, such as a heart or drum.

    1. My heart beat fast when I saw her. [ ] [ ]
    2. The drums beat loudly, signaling the start of the ceremony. [ ] [ ]

Synonyms

hit tired defeat vanquish rhythm exhausted strike pulse
beat noun

  1. The main accent or rhythmic unit in music.

    1. Dance to the beat of the music. [ ] [ ]
    2. I love the strong beat in this song's chorus section. [ ] [ ]

  2. An area that someone is responsible for patrolling.

    1. The police officer walked his beat. [ ] [ ]
    2. The journalist covers the city hall beat for the local newspaper. [ ] [ ]
beat adjective

  1. Very tired.

    1. I am beat after a long day. [ ] [ ]
    2. She felt beat after running the marathon in under four hours. [ ] [ ]
beat phrasal-verb

  1. beat someone up - to hurt someone badly by hitting or kicking them repeatedly.

    1. They beat him up badly last night. [ ] [ ]
    2. The gang beat up the man after a dispute over parking space. [ ] [ ]

  2. beat something out - to produce a rhythm or tune by hitting something.

    1. He beat out a rhythm on the table. [ ] [ ]
    2. The drummer started to beat out a complicated jazz rhythm. [ ] [ ]

Frequently Asked Questions

The word "beat" in English means: To hit someone or something repeatedly., To defeat someone in a game or competition., To mix food quickly using a fork or whisk., To produce a regular sound, such as a heart or drum..

The phonetic transcription of "beat" is /biːt/ in British English and /biːt/ in American English. Click the 🔊 button to hear both pronunciations.

Synonyms for "beat": hit, tired, defeat, vanquish, rhythm, exhausted, strike, pulse.

Example usage of "beat": "Don't beat the dog, it is cruel to animals.". More examples on the page.