beat

beat — 動詞

1. to win against a person, team, or country in a game, race, election, or other co

1.動詞及物B1
釋義

擊敗；打敗

在比賽或競爭中勝過對手

to win against a person, team, or country in a game, race, election, or other contest, or to do something better than they can.

例句

Leila beat her older brother at chess for the first time on Sunday.

Leila 在週日第一次下西洋棋擊敗了她哥哥。

beat + somebody + at + game/sport

Brazil beat Germany three goals to one in the final.

巴西在決賽中以三比一打敗了德國。

beat + team + by score (sports result)

同義詞
  • defeat

    more formal; common in news, sport, and military contexts.

  • outdo

    to do something better than someone, often in skill rather than direct contest.

  • thrash

    informal; means to beat by a very large margin.

反義詞
  • 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

❌Brazil beat to Germany.
✅Brazil beat Germany.
💡no preposition before the opponent.
❌She beat me on chess.
✅She beat me at chess.
💡use 'at' before the name of a game or sport.

2. to be more pleasant, useful, or satisfying than another activity, choice, or exp

2.動詞及物B2
釋義

勝過；好過

比另一件事更好或更享受

to be more pleasant, useful, or satisfying than another activity, choice, or experience — used to say one option is clearly the best.

例句

Nothing beats a hot bowl of noodle soup on a cold winter night.

在寒冷的冬夜裡，沒什麼比得上一碗熱騰騰的麵湯。

nothing beats + noun (informal preference)

You can't beat walking by the river when you need to clear your head.

想清空腦袋的時候，沒有什麼勝過沿著河邊散步。

can't beat + -ing form

同義詞
  • outclass

    more formal; emphasises being on a higher level of quality.

  • top

    informal; often used about achievements ('hard to top this view').

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

❌Nothing beats to swim in the sea.
✅Nothing beats swimming in the sea.
💡use the -ing form, not the to-infinitive.

3. to gain control over a serious problem such as an illness, an addiction, or a di

3.動詞及物B2
釋義

克服；戰勝

成功控制疾病或困難問題

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.

例句

Greta worked with a therapist for two years to beat her fear of flying.

Greta 跟治療師合作了兩年，才克服了她對搭飛機的恐懼。

beat + fear / phobia

The doctors said Grandpa Yusuf had beaten the cancer after six rounds of treatment.

在六輪治療之後，醫生說 Yusuf 爺爺已經戰勝了癌症。

beat + illness (often perfect tense)

同義詞
  • overcome

    more formal; very common with abstract problems and emotions.

  • conquer

    stronger and more dramatic; suggests a long struggle.

反義詞
  • 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

❌He beat his happiness.
✅He beat his depression.
💡the object must be something harmful or unwanted, not something positive.

4. to do something or finish a task in time, so that you avoid an event such as bad

4.動詞及物B2
釋義

趕在前；搶先

在某事發生前完成以避開該事

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.

例句

We left the office at four to beat the rush-hour traffic home.

我們四點就離開辦公室，想要趕在下班尖峰車潮之前回到家。

beat + the traffic / the rush

The hikers ran down the mountain to beat the storm rolling in from the west.

登山客一路衝下山，要趕在從西邊湧來的暴風雨之前。

beat + the storm / the rain

同義詞
  • avoid

    wider meaning; doesn't always involve doing something before a deadline.

  • outrun

    literal or figurative; suggests speed against an approaching event.

反義詞
  • 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

❌We left early to beat from the traffic.
✅We left early to beat the traffic.
💡no preposition; the obstacle is the direct object.

5. to reach a place, get an item, or finish an action earlier than another person w

5.動詞及物B2
釋義

搶先一步

比別人更早做到某件事

to reach a place, get an item, or finish an action earlier than another person who is trying to do the same thing.

例句

I was about to ask her out for dinner, but Tom beat me to it.

我本來要約她出去吃晚餐，結果 Tom 搶先了一步。

beat + somebody + to it (idiomatic)

Two other companies beat us to the market with a very similar phone.

另外兩家公司搶先一步推出了一支跟我們很像的手機。

beat + somebody + to + place / launch

同義詞
  • 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

❌He beat me on it.
✅He beat me to it.
💡the fixed preposition is 'to', not 'on'.

6. to strike someone or something forcefully over and over again — for example, to

6.動詞及物 / 不及物B2
釋義

毆打；猛打

用力反覆擊打人或物

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.

例句

The angry farmer beat the locked gate with a heavy stick until it opened.

氣憤的農夫拿著一根粗木棍猛敲那道上鎖的大門，直到它打開。

beat + thing + with + tool

Heavy rain beat against the kitchen window all night long.

整晚的大雨不斷拍打著廚房的窗戶。

beat + against + surface (rain/wind)

同義詞
  • strike

    more formal and neutral; can be a single hit or repeated blows.

  • pound

    stresses heavy, loud, repeated blows.

  • thrash

    old-fashioned for hitting a person as punishment.

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

❌The rain was beating the window.
✅The rain was beating against the window.
💡with weather as subject, use 'against' or 'on'.

7. to create a track through tall grass, bushes, or rough ground by walking over it

7.動詞及物
釋義

踏出小徑

靠反覆走過或撥開草木形成通路

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.

例句

The hikers slowly beat a path through the tall ferns to reach the river.

登山客慢慢在高大的蕨草間踏出一條小徑，走到河邊。

beat + a path through + place

Otto used a long stick to beat a way across the dense jungle floor.

Otto 用一根長棍在茂密的叢林地面上開出一條路。

beat + a way across + place

同義詞
  • tread

    more about repeated walking; less about clearing

  • trample

    stresses crushing the plants underfoot

  • blaze

    as in 'blaze a trail' — usually by marking, not pushing through

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

❌He beat the bushes to make a path.
✅He beat a path through the bushes.
💡the path is the object, the plants are the location.

8. to stir food, especially eggs, cream, or batter, with quick repeated strokes of

8.動詞及物C1
釋義

攪打；攪拌

用叉子或打蛋器快速反覆攪打食材

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.

例句

Beat the eggs and milk together in a bowl until the mixture turns pale yellow.

把蛋和牛奶在碗裡一起攪打，直到混合物變成淡黃色。

beat + food + until + result state

Kalani beat the cream with a fork until it was thick enough to spread on the cake.

Kalani 用叉子把鮮奶油攪打到夠濃稠，可以抹在蛋糕上。

beat + cream + with + utensil

同義詞
  • whisk

    specifically with a wire whisk, often for air

  • whip

    until thick or stiff, usually cream or whites

  • blend

    softer mixing; often with a machine

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

❌I beat the soup with a spoon.
✅I stirred the soup with a spoon.
💡'beat' implies fast, vigorous movement to change texture, not gentle stirring.

9. to use repeated hammer blows on a material such as metal, gold, or dried roots u

9.動詞及物
釋義

鎚打成形

反覆敲擊使金屬等材料變形或變薄

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.

例句

The blacksmith beat the hot iron into a long curved blade on his anvil.

鐵匠在鐵砧上把熱鐵錘打成一把細長彎曲的刀刃。

beat + material + into + new shape

Workers beat thin sheets of gold to cover the temple roof with bright leaf.

工人們把金子錘打成薄片，用來覆蓋寺廟的屋頂。

beat + metal + thin

同義詞
  • hammer

    stresses the tool used

  • forge

    specifically heated metal worked by a smith

  • pound

    heavy repeated blows; often grain or roots

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

10.動詞及物 / 不及物B1
釋義

跳動；拍動

心臟、翅膀或鼓有規律地反覆跳動或發聲

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.

例句

Anya's heart was beating so fast that she could feel it in her throat.

Anya 的心跳得好快，連喉嚨都能感覺到。

subject = heart; sound or pulse meaning

The small bird beat its wings rapidly to stay above the open window.

那隻小鳥快速拍動翅膀，停在打開的窗戶上方。

beat + wings = flap to fly

同義詞
  • throb

    stresses a strong rhythmic pulse, often painful

  • pound

    very strong, heavy beating

  • flap

    for wings only, no rhythm implied

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

❌My heart was beating me hard.
✅My heart was beating hard.
💡'beat' here is intransitive; do not add an object for the heart sense.

11. to keep time with a piece of music by tapping a finger, foot, or stick in steady

11.動詞及物 / 不及物
釋義

打拍子

用手腳或棒子配合音樂打出節奏

to keep time with a piece of music by tapping a finger, foot, or stick in steady regular movements that match its rhythm.

例句

The conductor beat time with a thin white stick as the orchestra began to play.

管弦樂團開始演奏時，指揮用一根細白的棒子打拍子。

beat + time = mark rhythm

Leila tapped her foot on the floor, beating time to the slow jazz song.

Leila 用腳輕輕踏著地板，跟著那首慢爵士打拍子。

beat + time + to + music

同義詞
  • tap

    lighter, less formal

  • mark

    as in 'mark the beat', neutral

  • drum

    with fingers, on a surface

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

❌She beat the music with her foot.
✅She beat time to the music with her foot.
💡the object is 'time' or 'rhythm', and the music is introduced with 'to'.

12. if a question, problem, or situation beats you, it is so puzzling that you canno

12.動詞及物
釋義

把人難倒

問題或情況讓人完全想不通

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.

例句

This crossword clue really beats me — I have stared at it for an hour.

這個填字遊戲的提示真的把我難倒了，我盯著它看了一個鐘頭。

informal: X beats me = I cannot solve X

It beats me how Kalani can finish three books in a single weekend.

我真搞不懂 Kalani 怎麼能在一個週末看完三本書。

fixed: it beats me + wh-clause

同義詞
  • baffle

    more neutral; common in writing

  • stump

    informal; usually for questions

  • puzzle

    softer; often used as a passive 'I am puzzled'

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

❌I beat this puzzle, it is too hard.
✅This puzzle beats me, it is too hard.
💡the puzzle is the subject, the person is the object.

13. to leave a person feeling so drained of energy after a long or demanding effort

13.動詞及物B2
釋義

累垮

讓人耗盡體力，幾乎撐不下去

to leave a person feeling so drained of energy after a long or demanding effort that they can barely keep going.

例句

Three back-to-back meetings and a long drive home really beat me today.

今天連開三場會又開了一段長途車回家，真的把我累垮了。

subject is the tiring activity; object is the person

Carrying boxes up six flights of stairs beat Kalani, who sat panting on the steps.

把箱子扛上六樓樓梯，Kalani 整個累癱，喘著氣坐在階梯上。

physical exertion as subject

同義詞
  • exhaust

    more formal; same idea of fully draining energy

  • wear out

    very common phrasal-verb equivalent in everyday speech

  • drain

    stresses loss of energy or spirit, often emotional

反義詞
  • 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

❌I beat after the marathon.
✅The marathon beat me.
💡'beat' here is transitive; the tiring thing is the subject and the tired person is the object.
❌The hike was beating.
✅The hike was beating us.
💡you must say who is being worn out; 'beat' in this sense never stands without an object.

beat — 名詞

beat — 形容詞