Etymology tree
Proto-Indo-European *bʰew-der.?
Proto-Germanic *bautaną
Proto-West Germanic *bautan
Old English bēatan
Middle English beten
English beat
Inherited from Middle English beten, from Old English bēatan (“to beat, pound, strike, lash, dash, thrust, hurt, injure”), from Proto-West Germanic *bautan, from Proto-Germanic *bautaną (“to push, strike”).
Cognates
Cognate with Dutch boten, botten, butten (“to push, strike”), German boßen (“to thrash”), Gothic *𐌱𐌰𐌿𐍄𐌰𐌽 (*bautan, “to beat, strike”) (whence, probably, Galician and Portuguese botar (“to expel; to throw”)); also Latin fūstis (“club, cudgel, knobbed stick, staff”), *fūtō (“to strike”), Albanian bahe, hobe (“sling”), Armenian բութ (butʻ), բույթ (buytʻ, “thumb”).
Meanings
A stroke; a blow.
He, […]with a careless beat, / Struck out the mute creation at a heat. 1687, [John Dryden], “(please specify the page number)”, in The Hind and the Panther. A Poem, in Three Parts, 2nd edition, London: […] Jacob Tonson […], →OCLC:
A pulsation or throb.
a beat of the heart
With each beat, your heart's left ventricle pumps blood into your arteries, which are all different sizes. 2026, Ginny Graves, “The Most Important Health Metric You're Not Tracking”, in Men's Health, volume 41, number 2, page 19:
the beat of the pulse
A pulse on the beat level, the metric level at which pulses are heard as the basic unit. Thus a beat is the basic time unit of a piece.
A rhythm.
I love watching her dance to a pretty drum beat with a bouncy rhythm!
A rhythm. ▸ The rhythm signalled by a conductor or other musician to the members of a group of musicians.
The instrumental portion of a piece of hip-hop music.
The interference between two tones of almost equal frequency.
A short pause in a play, screenplay, or teleplay, for dramatic or comedic effect.
(broadly) An area of a person's responsibility, especially ▸ The route patrolled by a police officer or a guard.
There has been a bad business during the night at 3, Lauriston Gardens, off the Brixton Road. Our man on the beat saw a light there about two in the morning, and as the house was an empty one, suspected that something was amiss. 1886, Arthur Conan Doyle, chapter 3, in A Study in Scarlet:
"We are looking at being able to fly [drones] tens of miles from base, which is going to make a huge difference. It is the equivalent of having bobbies on the beat." 2025 July 23, Paul Clifton, “Air force: drones' developing railway role”, in RAIL, number 1040, page 31:
[…]the rise of embedding police into schools – so-called School Resource Officers (SROs), who are employed by the local police, but whose “beat” is a school. Those officers report to the local police department and not the school, and can, and frequently do, have different priorities. 2019 January 29, Mike Masnick, “How My High School Destroyed An Immigrant Kid's Life Because He Drew The School's Mascot”, in Techdirt:
to walk the beat
(broadly) An area of a person's responsibility, especially ▸ The primary focus of a reporter's stories (such as police/courts, education, city government, business etc.).
As an adult, I became a journalist whose beat is the environment. In a way, I’ve turned my youthful preoccupations into a profession. 2020 April, Elizabeth Kolbert, “Why we won't avoid a climate catastrophehttps://www.nationalgeographic.com/magazine/2020/04/why-we-wont-avoid-a-climate-catastrophe-feature/”, in National Geographic:
(dated) An act of reporting news or scientific results before a rival; a scoop.
It's a beat on the whole country. 1898, unknown author, Scribner's Magazine, volume 24:
(colloquial, dated) That which beats, or surpasses, another or others.
the beat of him
(Southern-US, dated, obsolete) A precinct.
(dated) A place of habitual or frequent resort.
(Australia, dated) A place of habitual or frequent resort. ▸ An area frequented by gay men in search of sexual activity. See gay beat.
(archaic) A low cheat or swindler.
a dead beat
“If I get away I sha’n’t be here,” I says, “to prove these rapscallions ain’t your uncles, and I couldn’t do it if I was here. I could swear they was beats and bummers, that’s all, though that’s worth something. 1884 December 10, Mark Twain [pseudonym; Samuel Langhorne Clemens], chapter XXVIII, in The Adventures of Huckleberry Finn: (Tom Sawyer’s Comrade) […], London: Chatto & Windus, […], →OCLC:
The act of scouring, or ranging over, a tract of land to rouse or drive out game; also, those so engaged, collectively.
Bears coming out of holes in the rocks at the last moment, when the beat is close to them. 1911, Hedley Peek, Frederick George Aflalo, Encyclopaedia of Sport:
A smart tap on the adversary's blade.
(slang) A makeup look; compare beat one's face.
She made sure to give fans all the details about her beat in the caption. 2018, Leah Prinzivalli, “Kylie Jenner Shared a Sneak Peek of Her New Kylie Cosmetics Blush on Instagram”, in Allure:
de Grundschlag (pulse on the beat level) · fi vastuualue (area of a person's responsibility) · cmn 拍子 (pulse on the beat level) · fi biitti (instrumental portion of a piece of hip-hop music) · mi ūngeri (rhythm) · nl zweving (interference between two tones of almost equal frequency) · ms rentak (rhythm) · ro bătaie (pulsation) · de Schlag (pulse on the beat level) · fi ajo (hunting: act of scouring, or ranging over) · es ritmo (rhythm) · es área (primary focus of a reporter's stories) · nl ronde (patrolled route) · bg ри́тъм (rhythm) · bn তাল (rhythm) · it pulsazione (pulsation) · fi tontti (area of a person's responsibility) · es pulsaciones (por minuto) (pulse on the beat level) · az ritm (rhythm) · it ronda (patrolled route) · sv slag (pulsation) · ko 박 (pulse on the beat level) · ru разме́р (rhythm) · de Takt (rhythm) · ko 박자 (pulse on the beat level) · ja 拍 (pulse on the beat level) · es batida (hunting: act of scouring, or ranging over) · uk такт (rhythm) · ru уда́р (pulsation) · el διακρότημα (interference between two tones of almost equal frequency) · fi tahti (rhythm) · fi ala (primary focus of a reporter's stories) · ja 区切り (short pause) · ga béim (pulse on the beat level) · ar نَبْض (pulsation) · ro ritm (rhythm) · es sector (primary focus of a reporter's stories) · fr secteur (area of a person's responsibility) · it tempo (rhythm) · pt batida (pulsation) · sv taktslag (pulse on the beat level) · es latido (pulsation) · nl ritme (rhythm) · fi kotipaikka (place of habitual or frequent resort) · cy curiad (pulse on the beat level) · ro bătaie (interference between two tones of almost equal frequency) · ru бие́ние (pulsation) · cmn 拍 (pulse on the beat level) · es pulsación (pulsation) · fi isku (pulse on the beat level) · fi huojunta (interference between two tones of almost equal frequency) · nl puls (rhythm) · az döyünmək (interference between two tones of almost equal frequency) · az döyüntü (pulsation) · es ámbito (area of a person's responsibility) · fi syke (pulsation) · fi kierros (patrolled route) · nl beat (rhythm) · de Beat (rhythm) · pt batida (fencing: tap on the adversary's blade) · ja 拍子 (pulse on the beat level) · ru ритм (rhythm) · bn তাল (pulse on the beat level) · is taktslag (pulse on the beat level) · pl rytm (rhythm) · ca batec (pulsation) · bg такт (rhythm) · mi taki (rhythm) · es sector (area of a person's responsibility) · it battito (pulsation) · de Schwebung (interference between two tones of almost equal frequency) · uk ритм (rhythm) · fr domaine (primary focus of a reporter's stories) · es ámbito (primary focus of a reporter's stories) · la rhythmus (rhythm) · sv rytm (rhythm) · es jurisdicción (patrolled route) · fr battue (hunting: act of scouring, or ranging over) · fr ronde (patrolled route) · fr battement (pulsation) · ro beat (instrumental portion of a piece of hip-hop music) · mk такт (rhythm) · ru бие́ние (interference between two tones of almost equal frequency) · pl bit (instrumental portion of a piece of hip-hop music) · it ritmo (rhythm) · ja 句切り (short pause) · fi paussi (short pause)
Etymology tree
Proto-Indo-European *bʰew-der.?
Proto-Germanic *bautaną
Proto-West Germanic *bautan
Old English bēatan
Middle English beten
English beat
Inherited from Middle English beten, from Old English bēatan (“to beat, pound, strike, lash, dash, thrust, hurt, injure”), from Proto-West Germanic *bautan, from Proto-Germanic *bautaną (“to push, strike”).
Cognates
Cognate with Dutch boten, botten, butten (“to push, strike”), German boßen (“to thrash”), Gothic *𐌱𐌰𐌿𐍄𐌰𐌽 (*bautan, “to beat, strike”) (whence, probably, Galician and Portuguese botar (“to expel; to throw”)); also Latin fūstis (“club, cudgel, knobbed stick, staff”), *fūtō (“to strike”), Albanian bahe, hobe (“sling”), Armenian բութ (butʻ), բույթ (buytʻ, “thumb”).
Meanings
(transitive) To hit; to strike.
As soon as she heard that her father had died, she went into a rage and beat the wall with her fists until her knuckles bled.
The attack also afforded Helena to a front-seat view of literal air-to-air melee combat, as one Wildcat pilot of the Cactus Air Force, who was swooping in to help break up the attack, found himself out of machine-gun ammo; instead, he dropped his landing gear, positioned himself above the nearest bomber, and begun beating it to death, in midair, using his landing gear as clubs. After a bit of evasive action that the fighter easily kept up with, the repeated slamming broke something important, and the bomber spiralled down into the sea. 2021 March 10, Drachinifel, 5:50 from the start, in Guadalcanal Campaign - The Big Night Battle: Night 1 (IJN 3(?) : 2 USN), archived from the original on 17 Oct 2022:
Thomas Limbrick, who was only nine years of age, said he lived with his mother when Deborah was beat: that his mother throwed her down all along with her hands; and then against a wall […] 1825?, “Hannah Limbrick, Executed for Murder”, in The Newgate Calendar: comprising interesting memoirs of the most notorious characters, page 231:
The case of a woman named Qu Hua from Qiqihaer, Heilongjiang, illustrates this possibility. She married a worker named Xu Baocheng in 1980, and they got along very well until she gave birth to a girl. Then Xu immediately began to beat Qu, and forced her and the baby to live in a small shack. 1988, Emily Honig, Gail Hershatter, “Divorce”, in Personal Voices: Chinese Women in the 1980's, Stanford University Press, →ISBN, →LCCN, →OCLC, page 219:
In this account of events, the cards were stacked against Clemons from the beginning. His appeal lawyers have argued that he was physically beaten into making a confession, the jury was wrongfully selected and misdirected, and his conviction largely achieved on individual testimony with no supporting forensic evidence presented. 2012 August 21, Ed Pilkington, “Death penalty on trial: should Reggie Clemons live or die?”, in The Guardian:
(transitive) To strike or pound repeatedly, usually in some sort of rhythm.
He danced hypnotically while she beat the atabaque.
(intransitive) To strike repeatedly; to inflict repeated blows; to knock vigorously or loudly.
This public envy, seemeth to beat chiefly upon principal officers or ministers, rather than upon kings, and estates themselves. 1625, Francis Bacon, “Of Envy”, in Essayes:
Sees rolling tempests vainly beat below. 1662 January 1, John Dryden, To the Lord Chancellor Hyde, line 144:
[…] the men of the city, certain sons of Belial, beset the house round about, and beat at the door […] 1611, The Holy Bible, […] (King James Version), London: […] Robert Barker, […], →OCLC, Judges 19:22:
What tale do the roaring ocean, / And the nightwind, bleak and wild, / As they beat at the crazy casement, / Tell to that little child? 1850, Henry Wadsworth Longfellow, “Twilight”, in The Seaside and the Fireside:
The sun beat upon the head of Jonah, that he fainted, and wished in himself to die. 1611, The Holy Bible, […] (King James Version), London: […] Robert Barker, […], →OCLC, Jonah 4:8:
(intransitive) To move with pulsation or throbbing.
O heart, how fares it with thee now,
That thou should’st fail from thy desire,
Who scarcely darest to inquire,
‘What is it makes me beat so low?’ 1850, [Alfred, Lord Tennyson], “Canto IV”, in In Memoriam, London: Edward Moxon, […], →OCLC:
A thousand hearts beat happily. 1812–18, George Gordon Lord Byron, Childe Harold's Pilgrimage, canto 3, verse 21:
(transitive) To win against; to defeat or overcome; to do or be better than (someone); to excel in a particular, competitive event.
I just can't seem to beat the last level of this video game.
Jan had little trouble beating John in tennis. He lost five games in a row.
There's nothing in this world beats a 52 Vincent and a red-headed girl. 1991, Richard Thompson, “1952 Vincent Black Lightning”:
No matter how quickly Joe finished his test, Roger always beat him.
(intransitive) To sail to windward using a series of alternate tacks across the wind.
(transitive) To strike (water, foliage etc.) in order to drive out game; to travel through (a forest etc.) for hunting.
The part of the wood to be beaten for deer sloped all the way from the roadside to the loch. 1955, Robin Jenkins, The Cone-Gatherers, Canongate, published 2012, page 81:
To mix food in a rapid fashion. Compare whip.
Beat the eggs and whip the cream.
(UK, in haggling for a price of a buyer, transitive) To persuade the seller to reduce a price.
He wanted $50 for it, but I managed to beat him down to $35.
(transitive) To indicate by beating or drumming.
to beat a retreat; to beat to quarters
To tread, as a path.
While I this unexampled task essay, / Pass awful gulfs, and beat my painful way, / Celestial Dove! divine assistance bring, / Sustain me on thy strong-extended wing, 1712, Sir Richard Blackmore, Creation: A Philosophical Poem, book 1:
To exercise severely; to perplex; to trouble.
I know not why any one should waste his time, and beat his head about the Latin grammar, who does not intend to be a critick, or make speeches, and write dispatches in it. 1693, John Locke, Some Thoughts Concerning Education:
To be in agitation or doubt.
to still my beating mind 1610–1611 (date written), William Shakespeare, “The Tempest”, in Mr. William Shakespeares Comedies, Histories, & Tragedies […] (First Folio), London: […] Isaac Iaggard, and Ed[ward] Blount, published 1623, →OCLC, [Act IV, scene i]:
To make a sound when struck.
The drums beat.
(intransitive) To make a succession of strokes on a drum.
The drummers beat to call soldiers to their quarters.
To sound with more or less rapid alternations of greater and lesser intensity, so as to produce a pulsating effect; said of instruments, tones, or vibrations not perfectly in unison.
(transitive) To arrive at a place before someone.
The place is empty; we beat the crowd of people who come at lunch.
He beat me there.
(Multicultural-London-English, intransitive, slang, vulgar) To have sexual intercourse.
Millie B gets ten shags a week. New day, different guy, that's just peek. You can't name a guy that you haven't tried to beat. You can't name a guy that you haven't tried to beat. 2017-02-08, “Big (Millie B reply)”performed by Sophie Aspin:
Bruv, she came in just as we started to beat.
(slang, transitive) To rob; to cheat or scam.
He beat me out of 12 bucks last night.
I already beat him, but he hasn't realized it yet.
When one of 'em runs up a bill here, then goes off and deals somewhere else, and dodges me every time he sees me, that's the man I'm after with a sharp stick. [...] Honest people often get into tight places, and we would rather help 'em than hurt 'em then. But some just try to beat you. 1900, Fame, quoting Retail Trade Advocate, page 472:
cs bít (to strike or pound repeatedly) · hu üt (to hit, to knock, to pound, to strike) · io batar (to hit, to knock, to pound, to strike) · bn মারা (to hit, to knock, to pound, to strike) · grc πλήσσω (to hit, to knock, to pound, to strike) · it colpire (to hit, to knock, to pound, to strike) · mww kovyeej (to win against) · fi päihittää (to win against) · es aporrear (to strike or pound repeatedly) · sh kucati (to move with pulsation or throbbing) · sk biť (to hit, to knock, to pound, to strike) · scn bàttiri (to hit, to knock, to pound, to strike) · kmr lê dan (to hit, to knock, to pound, to strike) · es percutar (to strike or pound repeatedly) · es batir (to hit, to knock, to pound, to strike) · zdj ufufua (to hit, to knock, to pound, to strike) · es latir (el corazón) (to move with pulsation or throbbing) · ar خَفَقَ (to mix food) · sq mëshoj (to hit, to knock, to pound, to strike) · fi luovia (nautical - to sail to windward) · nrf battre (to win against) · acw رقع (to hit, to knock, to pound, to strike) · ur پیٹنا (to hit, to knock, to pound, to strike) · es apalizar (to hit, to knock, to pound, to strike) · az vurmaq (to hit, to knock, to pound, to strike) · pl bić (to move with pulsation or throbbing) · nrf latter (to strike or pound repeatedly) · is slá (to hit, to knock, to pound, to strike) · cs bušit (to strike or pound repeatedly) · mi tuangau (to strike or pound repeatedly) · ga liúr (to strike or pound repeatedly) · ko 털다 (to mix food) · th ตี (to hit, to knock, to pound, to strike) · la cūdō (to hit, to knock, to pound, to strike) · ca batre (to hit, to knock, to pound, to strike) · fi olla nopeampi kuin (to arrive before someone) · enm beten (to strike or pound repeatedly) · sv besegra (to win against) · msk bonal (to hit, to knock, to pound, to strike) · hy բաբախել (to strike or pound repeatedly) · uk ударя́ти (to hit, to knock, to pound, to strike) · ca batre (to strike or pound repeatedly) · enm beten (to mix food) · es pegar (to hit, to knock, to pound, to strike) · hrx schwaarte (to hit, to knock, to pound, to strike) · ga gread (to hit, to knock, to pound, to strike) · chr ᎠᏠᏍᎦ (to win against) · ru ударя́ть (to strike or pound repeatedly) · ru ударя́ть (to hit, to knock, to pound, to strike) · sdc iscudí (to hit, to knock, to pound, to strike) · fi lyödä (to hit, to knock, to pound, to strike) · uk уда́рити (to hit, to knock, to pound, to strike) · haw ʻūpā (to move with pulsation or throbbing) · th ชนะ (to win against) · hy զարկել (to strike or pound repeatedly) · ru уда́рить (to hit, to knock, to pound, to strike) · be удара́ць (to hit, to knock, to pound, to strike) · vi đập (to hit, to knock, to pound, to strike) · ne हराउनु (to win against) · tl ihampas (to hit, to knock, to pound, to strike) · vec bàter (to hit, to knock, to pound, to strike) · enm swyngen (to mix food) · gd buail (to win against) · enm swengen (to mix food) · sl tepsti (to strike or pound repeatedly) · ru поби́ть (to win against) · izh peeksää (to hit, to knock, to pound, to strike) · es tundir (to strike or pound repeatedly) · ja 打つ (to strike or pound repeatedly) · pl bić (to hit, to knock, to pound, to strike) · es aventajar (to win against) · fr griller (to arrive before someone) · ks لایُن (to hit, to knock, to pound, to strike) · hy հաղթել (to win against) · pt bater (to mix food) · pl bić (to make a sound when struck) · ota چالمق (to hit, to knock, to pound, to strike) · ja 勝つ (to win against) · mi whakakake (nautical - to sail to windward) · es sacudir (to mix food) · sl tolči (to hit, to knock, to pound, to strike) · fa زدن (to hit, to knock, to pound, to strike) · ur جیتنا (to win against) · es causear (to win against) · tl batiin (to mix food) · eo bati (to move with pulsation or throbbing) · it battere (to win against) · fi hakata (to strike or pound repeatedly) · nl kloppen (to mix food) · ru взбить (to mix food) · lv sist (to hit, to knock, to pound, to strike) · fr battre (intransitive: to strike repeatedly) · ru поби́ть (to strike or pound repeatedly) · hi मारना (to hit, to knock, to pound, to strike) · mi tūmū (nautical - to sail to windward) · de schlagen (to hit, to knock, to pound, to strike) · ru лави́ровать (nautical - to sail to windward) · fi sykkiä (to move with pulsation or throbbing) · pt bater (to win against) · izh tappaa (to hit, to knock, to pound, to strike) · arz ضرب (to hit, to knock, to pound, to strike) · gl bourar (to hit, to knock, to pound, to strike) · az yenmək (to win against) · fi iskeä (to hit, to knock, to pound, to strike) · xal цокх (to hit, to knock, to pound, to strike) · ko 치다 (to hit, to knock, to pound, to strike) · ki hora (to hit, to knock, to pound, to strike) · fi tallata (to tread, as a path) · be біць (to hit, to knock, to pound, to strike) · it battere (to hit, to knock, to pound, to strike) · es tundear (to strike or pound repeatedly) · acw صقع (to hit, to knock, to pound, to strike) · cs bít (to hit, to knock, to pound, to strike) · yi קלאַפּן (to hit, to knock, to pound, to strike) · sdc sagamare (to hit, to knock, to pound, to strike) · vo daflapön (to strike or pound repeatedly) · pt bater (to hit, to knock, to pound, to strike) · cmn 打 (to strike or pound repeatedly) · la battuo (to hit, to knock, to pound, to strike) · ga gread (to strike or pound repeatedly) · ro bate (to win against) · fi lyödä (to strike or pound repeatedly) · fr vaincre (to win against) · fi jyskyttää (to move with pulsation or throbbing) · fi myrskytä (to be in agitation or doubt) · izh kleittää (to hit, to knock, to pound, to strike) · izh löövvä (to hit, to knock, to pound, to strike) · enm beten (to win against) · izh iskiä (to hit, to knock, to pound, to strike) · ne जित्नु (to win against) · da slå (to hit, to knock, to pound, to strike) · pt bater (to strike or pound repeatedly) · la vincō (to win against) · oc batre (to hit, to knock, to pound, to strike) · fr battre (to hit, to knock, to pound, to strike) · gl petar (to strike or pound repeatedly) · de schlagen (to strike or pound repeatedly) · fr fouetter (to mix food) · sq rrah (to hit, to knock, to pound, to strike) · it percuotere (to strike or pound repeatedly) · grc τύπτω (to hit, to knock, to pound, to strike) · ro bate (to hit, to knock, to pound, to strike) · sl tolči (to strike or pound repeatedly) · ro bate (to strike or pound repeatedly) · hu ver (to move with pulsation or throbbing) · es barloventear (nautical - to sail to windward) · ca colpejar (to strike or pound repeatedly) · hy ծեծել (to hit, to knock, to pound, to strike) · es aporrear (to hit, to knock, to pound, to strike) · cmn 打擊 /打击 (to hit, to knock, to pound, to strike) · fi lyödä (to win against) · ca bategar (to move with pulsation or throbbing) · mi tukituki (to hit, to knock, to pound, to strike) · es paporrear (to strike or pound repeatedly) · fi pieksää (to strike in order to drive out game) · pap bati (to hit, to knock, to pound, to strike) · yi שלאָגן (to hit, to knock, to pound, to strike) · vec bàtar (to hit, to knock, to pound, to strike) · acw طرق (to hit, to knock, to pound, to strike) · kk сою (to hit, to knock, to pound, to strike) · ru бить (to hit, to knock, to pound, to strike) · es derrotar (to win against) · ja 叩く (to hit, to knock, to pound, to strike) · gl zoupar (to hit, to knock, to pound, to strike) · mi patupatu (to strike or pound repeatedly) · mi panapana (to move with pulsation or throbbing) · gl zoscar (to hit, to knock, to pound, to strike) · he היכה \ הִכָּה (to hit, to knock, to pound, to strike) · nap vatte (to strike or pound repeatedly) · luy khupa (to hit, to knock, to pound, to strike) · es batir (to mix food) · cs mlátit (to hit, to knock, to pound, to strike) · pl uderzyć (to hit, to knock, to pound, to strike) · uk би́ти (to hit, to knock, to pound, to strike) · pl pobić (to hit, to knock, to pound, to strike) · ln kobete (to hit, to knock, to pound, to strike) · fi paukkua (to make a sound when struck) · kln piring' (to hit, to knock, to pound, to strike) · nl kloppen (to strike or pound repeatedly) · tet baku (to hit, to knock, to pound, to strike) · bn পেটা (to hit, to knock, to pound, to strike) · ru взбива́ть (to mix food) · sv slå (to strike or pound repeatedly) · sq rraf (to strike or pound repeatedly) · ks چوب دِنؠ (to hit, to knock, to pound, to strike) · izh kommia (to hit, to knock, to pound, to strike) · bn হারানো (to win against) · dsb biś (to hit, to knock, to pound, to strike) · cy baeddu (to hit, to knock, to pound, to strike) · fi hakata (intransitive: to strike repeatedly) · sc surrare (to hit, to knock, to pound, to strike) · es sopapear (to strike or pound repeatedly) · tr vurmak (to hit, to knock, to pound, to strike) · dng да (to hit, to knock, to pound, to strike) · sl tepsti (to hit, to knock, to pound, to strike) · hu megver (to win against) · fr battre (to arrive before someone) · la tundō (to strike or pound repeatedly) · izh napsuttaa (to hit, to knock, to pound, to strike) · bn পেটা (to strike or pound repeatedly) · es vencer (to win against) · hi जीतना (to win against) · lad ajarvar (to hit, to knock, to pound, to strike) · fur bati (to strike or pound repeatedly) · mi kapakapatū (to move with pulsation or throbbing) · ca batre (to mix food) · ks زینُن (to win against) · pl bić (to win against) · sdc adubbà (to hit, to knock, to pound, to strike) · dlm batar (to hit, to knock, to pound, to strike) · pl bić (to mix food) · de schlagen (to mix food) · fr se mettre martel en tête (to exercise severely; to perplex; to trouble) · io batar (to strike or pound repeatedly) · sl premagati (to win against) · vo leflapön (to hit, to knock, to pound, to strike) · hu csorog (nautical - to sail to windward) · ba еңеү (to win against) · la pulso (to hit, to knock, to pound, to strike) · tr atmak (to move with pulsation or throbbing) · km ឈ្នះ (to win against) · ja 殴る (to hit, to knock, to pound, to strike) · fi vatkata (to mix food) · mi kake (nautical - to sail to windward) · ru поби́ть (to hit, to knock, to pound, to strike) · ota چالمق (to strike or pound repeatedly) · sdn fusticà (to hit, to knock, to pound, to strike) · be пабі́ць (to hit, to knock, to pound, to strike) · be ўдара́ць (to hit, to knock, to pound, to strike) · sdc fusthigà (to hit, to knock, to pound, to strike) · mi paopao (to strike or pound repeatedly) · sq zhdëp (to hit, to knock, to pound, to strike) · sh би̏ти (to hit, to knock, to pound, to strike) · sq rraf (to hit, to knock, to pound, to strike) · ar غَلَبَ (to win against) · sc surrare (to hit, to knock, to pound, to strike) · enm beten (to hit, to knock, to pound, to strike) · es zurrar (to strike or pound repeatedly) · mk бие (to hit, to knock, to pound, to strike) · es revolver (to mix food) · ar هَزَمَ (to win against) · be ўда́рыць (to hit, to knock, to pound, to strike) · zdj urema (to hit, to knock, to pound, to strike) · gd buail (to hit, to knock, to pound, to strike) · uk вда́рити (to hit, to knock, to pound, to strike) · sv vispa (to mix food) · fi rummuttaa (military: to make a succession of strokes on a drum) · km វាយ (to hit, to knock, to pound, to strike) · sa वादयति (to hit, to knock, to pound, to strike) · ang cnyssan (to hit, to knock, to pound, to strike) · ko 이기다 (to win against) · eve куси- (to hit, to knock, to pound, to strike) · az döymək (to hit, to knock, to pound, to strike) · nrf battre (to hit, to knock, to pound, to strike) · pl pobić (to win against) · es aporracear (to strike or pound repeatedly) · ru уда́рить (to strike or pound repeatedly) · hu lüktet (to move with pulsation or throbbing) · dlm báter (to hit, to knock, to pound, to strike) · es percutir (to strike or pound repeatedly) · fr battre (to strike or pound repeatedly) · ml അടിക്കുക (to hit, to knock, to pound, to strike) · fi jyskyttää (intransitive: to strike repeatedly) · sv klå (to win against) · mt sawwat (to hit, to knock, to pound, to strike) · fi paukuttaa (to exercise severely; to perplex; to trouble) · cv ҫап (to hit, to knock, to pound, to strike) · eo bati (to mix food) · mi tuangau (to hit, to knock, to pound, to strike) · es superar (to win against) · ln bete (to hit, to knock, to pound, to strike) · uga 𐎎𐎃𐎕 (to hit, to knock, to pound, to strike) · eo bati (to hit, to knock, to pound, to strike) · he הביס (to win against) · sq dëkoj (to hit, to knock, to pound, to strike) · ru победи́ть (to win against) · tet tuku (to hit, to knock, to pound, to strike) · got 𐌱𐌻𐌹𐌲𐌲𐍅𐌰𐌽 (to hit, to knock, to pound, to strike) · cmn 贏 /赢 (to win against) · cu бити (to hit, to knock, to pound, to strike) · es ganar (to win against) · sk tĺcť (to hit, to knock, to pound, to strike) · ota چالمق (intransitive: to strike repeatedly) · sw chapa (to hit, to knock, to pound, to strike) · az basmaq (to win against) · lmo batt (to hit, to knock, to pound, to strike) · ss shaya (to hit, to knock, to pound, to strike) · mi kapakapa (to move with pulsation or throbbing) · ba һуғыу (to hit, to knock, to pound, to strike) · fi tinkiä (to persuade to reduce a price) · acw ضرب (to hit, to knock, to pound, to strike) · nl kloppen (to hit, to knock, to pound, to strike) · la verbero (to hit, to knock, to pound, to strike) · tl magbati (to mix food) · az qalib gəlmək (to win against) · nrf battre (to mix food) · sdn addubbà (to hit, to knock, to pound, to strike) · fi päristää (to sound with more or less rapid alternations of greater and less intensity) · bg у́дрям (to hit, to knock, to pound, to strike) · izh issuttaa (to hit, to knock, to pound, to strike) · hu legyőz (to win against) · ne ठोक्नु (to hit, to knock, to pound, to strike) · fi rummuttaa (to indicate by beating or drumming) · ga buail (to hit, to knock, to pound, to strike) · la plangō (to strike or pound repeatedly) · so tumid (to hit, to knock, to pound, to strike) · es profligar (to win against) · fi lyödä (to move with pulsation or throbbing) · nl verslaan (to win against) · mi whētuki (to move with pulsation or throbbing) · gl zorregar (to hit, to knock, to pound, to strike) · kix vèi (to hit, to knock, to pound, to strike) · es apalizar (to strike or pound repeatedly) · de gewinnen (to win against) · tr yenmek (to win against) · hi पीटना (to hit, to knock, to pound, to strike) · es apalear (to strike or pound repeatedly) · vo flapön (to hit, to knock, to pound, to strike) · mi ngongo (nautical - to sail to windward) · txb särp- (to move with pulsation or throbbing) · es solfear (to strike or pound repeatedly) · ru сбить (to persuade to reduce a price) · uk вдаря́ти (to hit, to knock, to pound, to strike) · mi tārū (to win against) · fr battre (to win against) · sv slå (to win against) · de hauen (to hit, to knock, to pound, to strike) · bn জেতা (to win against) · no slå (to win against) · de schlagen (to win against) · rup bat (roa-rup) (to hit, to knock, to pound, to strike) · lt mušti (to hit, to knock, to pound, to strike) · cy curo (to win against) · ja 勝利する (to win against) · sv slå (nautical - to sail to windward) · fi hakata (to hit, to knock, to pound, to strike) · pl bić (to indicate by beating or drumming) · izh pöllyttää (to strike or pound repeatedly) · cmn 勝利 /胜利 (to win against) · fi päristä (to sound with more or less rapid alternations of greater and less intensity) · ruo båte (to hit, to knock, to pound, to strike) · swb urema (to hit, to knock, to pound, to strike) · tg задан (to hit, to knock, to pound, to strike) · ba һуғыу (to move with pulsation or throbbing) · ne टप्नु (to win against) · gl bater (to strike or pound repeatedly) · ro învinge (to win against) · ar ضَرَبَ (to hit, to knock, to pound, to strike) · nl overwinnen (to win against) · ba туҡмау (to strike or pound repeatedly) · kmr lê xistin (to hit, to knock, to pound, to strike) · fi päristä (to make a sound when struck) · fr remonter au vent (nautical - to sail to windward) · xal цокх (to strike or pound repeatedly) · pl bić (to strike or pound repeatedly) · bg побеждавам (to win against) · ca batre (intransitive: to strike repeatedly) · bg бия (to mix food) · sv slå (to hit, to knock, to pound, to strike) · az məğlub etmək (to win against) · vi thắng (to win against) · fr battre (to mix food) · bo འཇོམས (to win against) · es golpear (to hit, to knock, to pound, to strike) · cmn 打 (to hit, to knock, to pound, to strike) · fr battre (to indicate by beating or drumming) · ru бить (to strike or pound repeatedly) · nrf dêfoncer (to hit, to knock, to pound, to strike) · sc sagamare (to hit, to knock, to pound, to strike) · ja 泡立てる (to mix food) · ur مارنا (to hit, to knock, to pound, to strike) · enm beten (to move with pulsation or throbbing) · ks ہار دِنؠ (to win against) · ar دَقَّ (to hit, to knock, to pound, to strike) · uk поби́ти (to hit, to knock, to pound, to strike) · es golpear [repetidamente] (to strike or pound repeatedly) · vi đánh (to hit, to knock, to pound, to strike) · es vapulear (to strike or pound repeatedly) · ru побежда́ть (to win against) · ba тибеү (to move with pulsation or throbbing) · lo ຕີ (to hit, to knock, to pound, to strike) · gl bater (to hit, to knock, to pound, to strike) · bg надвивам (to win against) · bni bete (to hit, to knock, to pound, to strike) · ky уруу (to hit, to knock, to pound, to strike) · bn মারা (to strike or pound repeatedly) · lad aharvar (to hit, to knock, to pound, to strike) · ar وَجَفَ (to strike or pound repeatedly) · qu maqay (to hit, to knock, to pound, to strike) · az döymək (to strike or pound repeatedly) · cs tlouct (to hit, to knock, to pound, to strike) · pl uderzać (to hit, to knock, to pound, to strike) · fr battre (to move with pulsation or throbbing) · sc sagamare (to hit, to knock, to pound, to strike) · no slå (to hit, to knock, to pound, to strike) · es batir (to win against) · acw هَزَم (to win against) · gl latexar (to move with pulsation or throbbing) · sq rrah (to strike or pound repeatedly) · dng да (to strike or pound repeatedly) · fi voittaa (to win against) · be уда́рыць (to hit, to knock, to pound, to strike) · fur bati (to hit, to knock, to pound, to strike) · te వాయించు (to indicate by beating or drumming) · acw غلب (to win against) · bg би́я (to hit, to knock, to pound, to strike) · sh bȉti (to hit, to knock, to pound, to strike) · eo venki (to win against) · ca vèncer (to win against) · nl slaan (to hit, to knock, to pound, to strike) · gd buail (to strike or pound repeatedly) · sl bíti (to hit, to knock, to pound, to strike)
From Middle English bet (simple past of beten "to beat"), from Old English bēot (simple past of bēatan "to beat"). Middle English bet would regularly yield *beet; the modern form is influenced by the present stem and the past participle beaten, perhaps by analogy with the Early Modern English paradigm eat:eat (“ate”):eaten. Pronunciations with /ɛ/ (from Middle English bette, alternative simple past of beten) are possibly analogous to read (/ɹɛd/), led, met, etc.
Meanings
(US, slang) Exhausted.
After the long day, she was feeling completely beat.
I stayed in San Francisco a week and had the beatest time of my life. Marylou and I walked around for miles, looking for food-money. 1957 September 5, Jack Kerouac, chapter 10, in On the Road, New York, N.Y.: Viking Press, →OCLC, part 2:
(slang) Dilapidated, beat up.
Dude, you drive a beat car like that and you ain’t gonna get no honeys.
(qualifier:African-American Vernacular and gay slang) Having impressively attractive makeup.
From Middle English bet (simple past of beten "to beat"), from Old English bēot (simple past of bēatan "to beat"). Middle English bet would regularly yield *beet; the modern form is influenced by the present stem and the past participle beaten, perhaps by analogy with the Early Modern English paradigm eat:eat (“ate”):eaten. Pronunciations with /ɛ/ (from Middle English bette, alternative simple past of beten) are possibly analogous to read (/ɹɛd/), led, met, etc.
Meanings
simple past tense of beat
(colloquial, especially, form-of, participle, past) past participle of beat