beat
beat — verb
1. to win against a person, team, or country in a game, race, election, or other co
to win against a person, team, or country in a game, race, election, or other contest, or to do something better than they can.
Leila beat her older brother at chess for the first time on Sunday.
beat + somebody + at + game/sport
Brazil beat Germany three goals to one in the final.
beat + team + by score (sports result)
The little local bakery beat every big chain in the cake contest.
Otto trained hard all summer because he wanted to beat his own running record.
No one expected the new student to beat the school champion in the spelling bee.
- lose to
the opposite outcome from the loser's point of view.
文法句型
beat + somebody/something
beat + somebody + at + something
用法筆記
Always transitive: you beat someone or something. To name the contest, use 'at' for games/sports ('beat me at tennis') and 'in' for formal events ('beat him in the election').
常見錯誤
2. to be more pleasant, useful, or satisfying than another activity, choice, or exp
to be more pleasant, useful, or satisfying than another activity, choice, or experience — used to say one option is clearly the best.
Nothing beats a hot bowl of noodle soup on a cold winter night.
nothing beats + noun (informal preference)
You can't beat walking by the river when you need to clear your head.
can't beat + -ing form
Sleeping in your own bed beats staying at any fancy hotel.
Reading a paper book in the park beats scrolling on a phone any day.
文法句型
nothing beats + noun/-ing
you can't beat + noun/-ing
用法筆記
Mostly informal and often used in fixed frames ('nothing beats…', 'you can't beat…') to praise a favourite option. Distinguish from sense 1: there is no contest or opponent — the comparison is between activities or experiences.
常見錯誤
3. to gain control over a serious problem such as an illness, an addiction, or a di
to gain control over a serious problem such as an illness, an addiction, or a difficult situation, so that it no longer harms or stops you.
Greta worked with a therapist for two years to beat her fear of flying.
beat + fear / phobia
The doctors said Grandpa Yusuf had beaten the cancer after six rounds of treatment.
beat + illness (often perfect tense)
The small village finally beat the floods by building a stronger sea wall.
Kalani beat his gambling addiction with the help of a support group.
- succumb to
formal; to be overcome by an illness or pressure instead of beating it.
文法句型
beat + abstract problem (illness, addiction, poverty)
用法筆記
Object is almost always something unwanted: an illness, a fear, an addiction, or a wider social problem. Frequently appears in the past tense or perfect ('has beaten cancer'). Distinguish from sense 1 (defeating a person or team) and sense 4 (acting before something can happen).
常見錯誤
4. to do something or finish a task in time, so that you avoid an event such as bad
to do something or finish a task in time, so that you avoid an event such as bad weather, a crowd, or a closing deadline.
We left the office at four to beat the rush-hour traffic home.
beat + the traffic / the rush
The hikers ran down the mountain to beat the storm rolling in from the west.
beat + the storm / the rain
Hadiya typed all night and just beat the midnight deadline for her essay.
If we shop on Wednesday, we can beat the weekend crowds at the supermarket.
- miss
to fail to arrive or finish in time, the opposite outcome.
文法句型
beat + the deadline / the rain / the rush / the traffic
用法筆記
Object is usually a fixed phrase such as 'the traffic', 'the rain', 'the rush', 'the deadline', or 'the crowds'. The idea is finishing first so the bad thing cannot affect you. Distinguish from sense 5 (doing something before another person can).
常見錯誤
5. to reach a place, get an item, or finish an action earlier than another person w
to reach a place, get an item, or finish an action earlier than another person who is trying to do the same thing.
I was about to ask her out for dinner, but Tom beat me to it.
beat + somebody + to it (idiomatic)
Two other companies beat us to the market with a very similar phone.
beat + somebody + to + place / launch
Hannah ran to the last seat on the bus, but a tall man beat her to it.
The reporter from Tokyo beat every other journalist to the story.
- get there first
informal phrase; only fits the literal 'arrive first' meaning.
- pre-empt
formal; used in business and politics for acting before someone else.
文法句型
beat + somebody + to it
beat + somebody + to the punch
用法筆記
Almost always followed by 'to' plus a noun or 'it'. The fixed phrase 'beat someone to it' means doing the very thing the other person was about to do. Distinguish from sense 4: here you compete with another person, not with a deadline or weather.
常見錯誤
6. to strike someone or something forcefully over and over again — for example, to
to strike someone or something forcefully over and over again — for example, to injure a person, to knock dust out of a rug, or to make a loud, drumming sound on a surface.
The angry farmer beat the locked gate with a heavy stick until it opened.
beat + thing + with + tool
Heavy rain beat against the kitchen window all night long.
beat + against + surface (rain/wind)
The robbers beat the old shopkeeper and stole every coin from the till.
Two boys beat the dusty rug on the washing line with a wooden paddle.
Witnesses said the guards had beaten the prisoner black and blue.
文法句型
beat + somebody/something
beat + on/against + noun
beat + somebody + black and blue / unconscious
用法筆記
When the object is a person or animal, the action is violent and the verb suggests cruelty or punishment. When the object is rain, wind, or a surface, the meaning is purely physical: repeated, forceful contact. Often followed by 'against', 'on', or a result phrase like 'black and blue' or 'unconscious'.
常見錯誤
7. to create a track through tall grass, bushes, or rough ground by walking over it
to create a track through tall grass, bushes, or rough ground by walking over it many times or pushing the plants aside as you go.
The hikers slowly beat a path through the tall ferns to reach the river.
beat + a path through + place
Otto used a long stick to beat a way across the dense jungle floor.
beat + a way across + place
Years of cattle had beaten a narrow track between the two pastures.
The children beat a trail across the snowy field on their way to school.
Greta beat a path through the long grass, looking for her lost ring.
文法句型
beat + path/way + through/across + place
用法筆記
Object is almost always 'a path', 'a way', 'a trail', or 'a track', followed by 'through' or 'across' a place. The plant or ground is the location, not the object.
常見錯誤
8. to stir food, especially eggs, cream, or batter, with quick repeated strokes of
to stir food, especially eggs, cream, or batter, with quick repeated strokes of a fork, spoon, or whisk so it becomes smooth, light, or thick.
Beat the eggs and milk together in a bowl until the mixture turns pale yellow.
beat + food + until + result state
Kalani beat the cream with a fork until it was thick enough to spread on the cake.
beat + cream + with + utensil
Beat the butter and sugar for two minutes before adding the flour.
Grandma beat the batter slowly so it would not splash out of the bowl.
Hadiya beat three egg whites in a clean glass bowl to make the meringue.
文法句型
beat + food noun (+ until + state)
用法筆記
Common in recipe instructions, often in the imperative. Frequently followed by 'until' plus a result word like 'smooth', 'fluffy', 'stiff', or 'pale'. The utensil is introduced with 'with'.
常見錯誤
9. to use repeated hammer blows on a material such as metal, gold, or dried roots u
to use repeated hammer blows on a material such as metal, gold, or dried roots until it becomes flat, thinner, or takes on a new form.
The blacksmith beat the hot iron into a long curved blade on his anvil.
beat + material + into + new shape
Workers beat thin sheets of gold to cover the temple roof with bright leaf.
beat + metal + thin
The old craftsman beat the copper bowl carefully until its edges curled inward.
The villagers beat dry roots into a fine paste to use as medicine.
Dr. Paloma watched the silversmith beat the spoon flat with quick light taps.
文法句型
beat + material + into + shape
用法筆記
Object is the raw material (metal, root, grain). The result follows 'into' (a shape) or appears as an adjective complement ('flat', 'thin'). Distinguish from sense 6 (HIT a person/animal): sense 9 always has a non-living object whose form is changed.
10. if a heart, drum, or pair of wings beats, or if you beat one, it makes a steady
if a heart, drum, or pair of wings beats, or if you beat one, it makes a steady repeated movement or sound, like the pumping of blood or the flapping of wings in flight.
Anya's heart was beating so fast that she could feel it in her throat.
subject = heart; sound or pulse meaning
The small bird beat its wings rapidly to stay above the open window.
beat + wings = flap to fly
Kalani beat the drum loudly as the parade marched down the main street.
After the long climb, Greta's heart was still beating hard against her ribs.
The old wooden clock in the hallway beat steadily through the quiet night.
文法句型
heart/wings + beat
beat + drum/wings
用法筆記
Common subjects: heart, pulse, wings, drum, clock. Used both intransitively (the heart beats) and transitively (she beat the drum). Distinguish from sense 11: sense 10 is the steady rhythm itself, sense 11 is marking another rhythm (such as music's).
常見錯誤
11. to keep time with a piece of music by tapping a finger, foot, or stick in steady
to keep time with a piece of music by tapping a finger, foot, or stick in steady regular movements that match its rhythm.
The conductor beat time with a thin white stick as the orchestra began to play.
beat + time = mark rhythm
Leila tapped her foot on the floor, beating time to the slow jazz song.
beat + time + to + music
The old man beat the rhythm on his knee with two thin fingers.
Children sat in a circle and beat the tune softly on small wooden boxes.
Otto beat time with his pencil while listening to the radio in the kitchen.
文法句型
beat + time
beat + rhythm/tune (+ on + surface)
用法筆記
Often appears as the fixed phrase 'beat time'. The music being followed is introduced by 'to'; the surface used for tapping is introduced by 'on'. Unlike sense 10 (the rhythm itself), this sense is always about marking an external piece of music.
常見錯誤
12. if a question, problem, or situation beats you, it is so puzzling that you canno
if a question, problem, or situation beats you, it is so puzzling that you cannot understand it or find an answer no matter how hard you try.
This crossword clue really beats me — I have stared at it for an hour.
informal: X beats me = I cannot solve X
It beats me how Kalani can finish three books in a single weekend.
fixed: it beats me + wh-clause
The strange noise in the engine beat every mechanic in the small town.
It beats me why Hadiya quit such a good job without saying a word.
That last math question on the test beat most of the students in our class.
文法句型
something + beats + somebody
it beats me + wh-clause
用法筆記
Very often appears in the fixed informal pattern 'it beats me + how/why/what...' to express that the speaker cannot understand something. The puzzling thing is the subject; the person who cannot solve it is the object.
常見錯誤
13. to leave a person feeling so drained of energy after a long or demanding effort
to leave a person feeling so drained of energy after a long or demanding effort that they can barely keep going.
Three back-to-back meetings and a long drive home really beat me today.
subject is the tiring activity; object is the person
Carrying boxes up six flights of stairs beat Kalani, who sat panting on the steps.
physical exertion as subject
By the end of her night shift, Nurse Paloma was beaten and could hardly stand.
The summer heat in Bangkok beat the tourists before they even reached the temple.
Two hours of crying really beats a new parent, Greta told her sister wearily.
- energize
to fill someone with new energy instead of using it up
文法句型
be beaten (by something)
something beats someone
用法筆記
Subject is usually the tiring effort, condition, or workload, not a person acting on purpose. Distinguish from sense 1 (DEFEAT in a contest): here there is no opponent — only fatigue.
常見錯誤
beat — noun
1. a steady knocking, throbbing, or repeating motion or noise — for example, the th
a steady knocking, throbbing, or repeating motion or noise — for example, the thump of a heart inside the chest or the swing of a pendulum.
The doctor placed her stethoscope on Kalani's chest and listened to his heart beat.
the [body's] beat — pulse of the heart
Greta could feel the steady beat of the old grandfather clock in the hallway.
the beat of [a clock] — repeating swing
After running up the hill, her pulse climbed to one hundred and eighty beats a minute.
The runners stopped when one woman's heart skipped a beat and she clutched her chest.
Otto heard the soft beat of wings as a small bird flew past his window.
文法句型
the beat of [noun]
用法筆記
Often appears as 'heartbeat' or in the phrase 'beats per minute' (bpm) when describing pulse rates. Distinguish from sense 2: this sense is about the physical movement or sound itself, not its role in music.
常見錯誤
Wrong: 'My heart was beating fast, so I felt my beats.' Correct: 'My heart was beating fast, so I felt my pulse.' — for the thing you feel under the skin, English uses 'pulse', not 'beats' on its own.
2. the basic rhythmic pulse running through music or poetry — the regular pattern t
the basic rhythmic pulse running through music or poetry — the regular pattern that listeners tap their foot to, or that drums and bass hold down underneath the melody.
Hadiya clapped her hands to the beat of the drums during the school concert.
to the beat of [instrument]
Most pop songs have four beats in every bar, which makes them easy to dance to.
[number] beats in a bar — musical structure
The DJ slowed the beat down so couples could move closer together on the floor.
Reggae music has a strong off-beat that you feel in your hips and shoulders.
Their teacher tapped a pencil on the desk to mark the beat of the poem.
文法句型
to the beat of [noun]
用法筆記
Frequently used with verbs like 'tap', 'keep', 'mark', 'feel', and 'dance to'. Distinguish from sense 1: this sense names the underlying rhythm in music or verse, not just any repeated sound.
常見錯誤
Wrong: 'I love the beats of this song.' Correct: 'I love the beat of this song.' — when talking about a single song's overall rhythm, use the singular.
3. one act of striking something, or the noise or pressure that this act creates —
one act of striking something, or the noise or pressure that this act creates — for example, the thud of a hammer hitting a nail or the dull pounding of waves against a boat.
Otto shaped the hot iron with steady beats of his heavy hammer.
collocation: beats of a hammer
The little drummer practiced soft beats on the side of his snare drum.
collocation: soft / loud beats on a drum
Greta could hear the steady beat of waves crashing against the wooden pier.
The old fan made a clicking beat each time its blade brushed the wire cage.
With one strong beat of the axe, Kalani split the dry log clean in half.
用法筆記
Often used with 'of' + the striking object (a hammer, a drum, the waves). Distinguish from sense 1 (heart pulse) and sense 2 (musical rhythm): this sense focuses on a single physical stroke or its sound, not a regular pulse.
常見錯誤
4. the streets or neighbourhood that a police officer is regularly assigned to patr
the streets or neighbourhood that a police officer is regularly assigned to patrol, or the subject area and contacts a reporter is told to follow for news stories.
Officer Paloma walked her beat through the same six streets every weekday morning.
walk / patrol [someone's] beat
The new reporter's beat was local schools, so she visited classrooms most afternoons.
[someone's] beat is [topic] — journalism use
Two officers met for coffee at the corner shop on their beat near the river.
Daniel covered the politics beat at the newspaper for almost twenty years.
文法句型
someone's beat
on the beat
用法筆記
Two main fields use this: police work (a physical area) and journalism (a topic area like 'the crime beat' or 'the city hall beat'). Distinguish from sense 5: sense 4 is the area itself; sense 5 is the officer who walks it.
5. a police officer whose duty is to walk around a neighbourhood on foot — instead
a police officer whose duty is to walk around a neighbourhood on foot — instead of patrolling from inside a car — so that they can chat with local residents.
The mayor promised to put more officers on the beat in the town centre by spring.
on the beat — fixed phrase
Old Mrs. Park still remembered every beat from the police station on her street.
[plural beats] — officers
Walking the beat for ten years had taught Officer Diaz the name of every shopkeeper.
Residents at the meeting asked for a friendly beat to visit the park each evening.
- beat officer
the more common full form
- patrolman
older / American, sometimes seen as dated
- constable
British, more formal rank
文法句型
on the beat
walking the beat
用法筆記
Most often appears in fixed phrases 'on the beat' and 'walking the beat'. Distinguish from sense 4: sense 4 is the route or area, while sense 5 is the person who walks it.
常見錯誤
Wrong: 'A beat arrested the man.' Correct: 'A beat officer arrested the man.' — outside the fixed phrases above, native speakers usually say 'beat officer' or 'officer on the beat' rather than 'a beat' alone.
6. a small pause in speech, acting, or storytelling that gives the audience time to
a small pause in speech, acting, or storytelling that gives the audience time to react — often used by actors and writers to make a moment land harder.
The actor held a beat after his line, and the whole theatre held its breath.
hold a beat — actor's technique
There was a long beat of silence before the witness finally answered the lawyer's question.
a beat of silence
Skilled comedians know that a single beat before the punchline doubles the laughter.
After the bad news, Leila needed a beat to gather herself before phoning her brother.
文法句型
pause for a beat
beat of silence
用法筆記
Common in scripts, theatre direction, and writing about comedy or drama; also bleeds into informal use ('give me a beat'). Distinguish from sense 7: sense 6 is countable and refers to a noticeable pause inside a performance or story.
7. a tiny gap of time, lasting only a second or two, before someone speaks or befor
a tiny gap of time, lasting only a second or two, before someone speaks or before something happens — used when describing real conversation or events, not a planned dramatic pause.
After a beat, Otto shrugged and said he didn't really mind which film they watched.
after a beat — common opener
There was a beat between Greta's question and the awkward answer her father finally gave.
a beat between [event] and [event]
Kalani waited a beat, then quietly closed the kitchen door behind him.
For just a beat, the room went still before everyone burst out laughing again.
文法句型
after a beat
用法筆記
Frequently appears in narrative writing and informal speech to describe a very brief hesitation — shorter than 'a moment' and more conversational than 'a pause'. Distinguish from sense 6: sense 6 is a deliberate performance pause; sense 7 is any brief delay in real life.
8. a key turning point inside a story, screenplay, or scene where the action shifts
a key turning point inside a story, screenplay, or scene where the action shifts, a character makes a decision, or new information changes how the audience feels.
Every scene needs at least one strong emotional beat to keep the audience watching.
collocation: emotional beat / story beat
The screenwriter mapped out the major beats of the film on colored index cards.
collocation: major beats / story beats
Leila rewrote the third act because the comedic beats were landing too late.
A good romance always hits the same familiar beats, but in fresh and surprising ways.
The director added a quiet beat after the argument so viewers could absorb the shock.
- moment
more general; lacks the structural sense of plot construction
- turning point
stronger — implies a major change rather than any small shift
- plot point
near-synonym in screenwriting; usually larger than a beat
用法筆記
Common in screenwriting and creative-writing contexts. Distinguish from sense 6 (a short pause in performance): a story beat is a structural unit of plot, not just a brief silence.
常見錯誤
beat — adjective
1. feeling so drained of energy that you can barely keep going, usually after long
feeling so drained of energy that you can barely keep going, usually after long physical effort, a hard day, or poor sleep.
After moving boxes all afternoon, Kalani flopped on the sofa and said he was beat.
predicative: be beat after physical effort
Greta looked beat by the time she finished her night shift at the hospital.
look + beat to describe visible exhaustion
We were all beat after walking ten miles up the mountain in the heat.
Grandpa felt beat after spending the whole morning weeding the back garden.
I'm beat — let's order pizza instead of cooking tonight.
文法句型
be + beat
用法筆記
Predicative only — say 'I'm beat', not 'a beat person'. Common in casual speech and writing; avoid in formal reports or essays where 'exhausted' fits better.