beat
A2Neutral (used in all registers from casual to formal)
Definition
Meaning
To hit repeatedly, usually with force.
Defeat someone in a competition, surpass a record, or move rhythmically (like a heart or drum).
Linguistics
Semantic Notes
The meaning can shift dramatically from literal physical hitting to abstract competition to rhythmic motion. Context is essential for disambiguation.
Dialectal Variation
British vs American Usage
Differences
Very few significant differences. Both use "beat" identically for core meanings. Minor spelling difference: "beaten" (past participle) is universal.
Connotations
Identical connotations in both dialects.
Frequency
Equally high frequency in both dialects.
Vocabulary
Collocations
Grammar
Valency Patterns
[SUBJ] beat [OBJ] (e.g., She beat him)[SUBJ] beat [OBJ] at [GAME/ACTIVITY] (e.g., I beat her at chess)[SUBJ] beat [RECORD/SCORE] (e.g., He beat the world record)Vocabulary
Synonyms
Strong
Neutral
Weak
Vocabulary
Antonyms
Phrases
Idioms & Phrases
- “Beat around the bush”
- “Beat a dead horse”
- “To beat the band”
- “Beat the living daylights out of someone”
Usage
Context Usage
Business
"We need to beat our quarterly targets." (surpass)
Academic
"The study aimed to beat the previous methodology's efficiency." (improve upon)
Everyday
"Can you beat the eggs for the cake?" (mix vigorously)
Technical
"The processor clock beats at 3.5 GHz." (pulses rhythmically)
Examples
By Part of Speech
verb
British English
- The rain beat against the windowpane.
- The team hope to beat their local rivals on Saturday.
American English
- The sun beat down on the desert highway.
- She managed to beat the high score on the arcade game.
adverb
British English
- (Rare as a standalone adverb) In music: "Play the rhythm beat for beat."
- (Informal) "He arrived beat on time." (meaning exactly on time, but this is niche/archaic).
American English
- (Rare as a standalone adverb) In music: "The band played it beat for beat."
- (Informal/Slang) "He was beat tired." (This is more an adjective intensifier).
adjective
British English
- He was completely beat after the marathon.
- You look dead beat; you should get some rest.
American English
- I'm too beat to go out tonight.
- After the long hike, everyone was beat.
Examples
By CEFR Level
- My heart beats fast when I run.
- Don't beat the dog!
- She beat me at tennis last week.
- Beat the eggs with a whisk.
- The company aims to beat last year's sales figures.
- He was beaten in the final round of the competition.
- The government's new policy is an attempt to beat inflation.
- The drummer beat out a complex rhythm on the congas.
Learning
Memory Aids
Mnemonic
Imagine a DRUM that you BEAT to keep the BEAT (rhythm). Both the action and the rhythm share the same word.
Conceptual Metaphor
COMPETITION IS WAR ("beat the competition"), TIME IS A RESOURCE TO BE DEFEATED ("beat the clock"), OVERCOMING IS PHYSICAL DOMINATION ("beat the system").
Watch out
Common Pitfalls
Translation Traps (for Russian speakers)
- Не переводить "beat" как "бить" во всех случаях. "Beat the eggs" = "взбить яйца", а не "побить яйца".
- "Beat it!" (сленг) = "Убирайся!", а не "Побей это!".
- Осторожно с "beaten track" = "исхоженная тропа" (проторенный путь), а не "побитая дорожка".
Common Mistakes
- Using "win" instead of "beat" (correct: "I beat him", incorrect: "I won him").
- Confusing "beat" (present) and "beaten" (past participle) (correct: "He was beaten", incorrect: "He was beat").
- Using "beat" for a single hit (prefer "hit" or "strike" for a single action).
Practice
Quiz
In the idiom 'beat around the bush', what does 'beat' metaphorically mean?
FAQ
Frequently Asked Questions
The past tense is also 'beat' (e.g., Yesterday I beat him). The past participle is 'beaten' (e.g., I have beaten him).
Yes, but only as an informal adjective (e.g., I'm beat). It is not used in this sense as a verb.
You 'beat' a person, team, or record (an opponent). You 'win' a game, prize, or competition (the thing itself). Correct: 'I beat John.' / 'I won the race.'
Yes, extensively. As a noun, it means the basic rhythmic unit (e.g., a 4/4 beat). As a verb, it means to strike a drum or mark the rhythm (e.g., beat the drum, beat time).