beat about the bush en · VERB
Pronunciation
- bēt′ ə-bout′ ðə bo͝oʃ
- /ˈbit əˌbaʊ̯t ðə bʊʃ/ (Canada, General-American)
- /ˈbiːt əˌbaʊ̯t ðə bʊʃ/ (Received-Pronunciation)
- (Southern-England) audio
- /ˈbiːt əˌbæʊ̯t ðə bʊʃ/ (New-Zealand)
- /ˈbiːt əˌbæɔ̯t ðə bʊʃ/ (Australia)
- /ˈbiːʈ aˌbawʈ ðe bʊʃ/ (India)
- /ˈbit əˌbʌʊ̯t ðə bʉʃ/ (Scotland)
Etymology
From medieval English hunting practices. Some men would whack bushes with sticks to scare birds out so that others could hunt them. Beating the bush directly could be dangerous.
Meanings
-
(alt-of, alternative) Alternative form of beat around the bush.
alt of beat around the bush
There is no use beating about the bush with a man like you. I know that. You are direct, and so am I. You know my position well enough to be assured that I am empowered to treat with you.
1910 November, Jack London, Theft: A Play in Four Acts, New York, N.Y.: The Macmillan Company; London: Macmillan & Co., →OCLC, Act II, page 107:"Meanwhile, we are sitting here starving. Let's not beat about the bush - we are absolutely living hand to mouth now on TfL.
2020 July 15, Mike Brown talks to Paul Clifton, “Leading London's "hidden heroes"”, in Rail, page 42:
Forms
| Spelling | Features | Labels | Source |
|---|---|---|---|
| beats about the bush | Number=Sing, Person=3, Tense=Pres | lexicographic | |
| beat about the bush | Tense=Past, VerbForm=Part | colloquial | lexicographic |
| beat about the bush | Tense=Past | lexicographic | |
| beaten about the bush | Tense=Past, VerbForm=Part | lexicographic | |
| beated about the bush | Tense=Past | nonstandard | lexicographic |
| beated about the bush | Tense=Past, VerbForm=Part | nonstandard | lexicographic |
| beating about the bush | Tense=Pres, VerbForm=Part | lexicographic |