beat
Looking for the meaning of beat? Explore definitions, parts of speech, and usage examples below.
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A stroke; a blow.
A pulsation or throb.
“a beat of the heart; 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.
The interference between two tones of almost equal frequency
(authorship) A short pause in a play, screenplay, or teleplay, for dramatic or comedic effect; a plot point or story development.
The route patrolled by a police officer or a guard.
(by extension) An area of a person's responsibility, especially
An act of reporting news or scientific results before a rival; a scoop.
That which beats, or surpasses, another or others.
“the beat of him”
A precinct.
A place of habitual or frequent resort.
A low cheat or swindler.
“a dead beat”
The instrumental portion of a piece of hip-hop music.
The act of scouring, or ranging over, a tract of land to rouse or drive out game; also, those so engaged, collectively.
A smart tap on the adversary's blade.
To hit; 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.”
To strike or pound repeatedly, usually in some sort of rhythm.
“He danced hypnotically while she beat the atabaque.”
To strike repeatedly; to inflict repeated blows; to knock vigorously or loudly.
To move with pulsation or throbbing.
To win against; to defeat or overcome; to do better than, outdo, or excel (someone) in a particular, competitive event.
“I just can't seem to beat the last level of this video game.”
To sail to windward using a series of alternate tacks across the wind.
To strike (water, foliage etc.) in order to drive out game; to travel through (a forest etc.) for hunting.
To mix food in a rapid fashion. Compare whip.
“Beat the eggs and whip the cream.”
(In haggling for a price) of a buyer, to persuade the seller to reduce a price
“He wanted $50 for it, but I managed to beat him down to $35.”
To indicate by beating or drumming.
“to beat a retreat; to beat to quarters”
To tread, as a path.
To exercise severely; to perplex; to trouble.
To be in agitation or doubt.
To make a sound when struck.
“The drums beat.”
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 less intensity, so as to produce a pulsating effect; said of instruments, tones, or vibrations, not perfectly in unison.
To arrive at a place before someone.
“He beat me there.”
To have sexual intercourse.
“Bruv, she came in just as we started to beat.”
To rob.
“He beat me out of 12 bucks last night.”
Exhausted
“After the long day, she was feeling completely beat.”
Dilapidated, beat up
“Dude, you drive a beat car like that and you ain’t gonna get no honeys.”
Fabulous
“Her makeup was beat!”
Boring
(of a person) ugly
Understanding "beat"
The word **"beat"** is a **noun** in the English language. It is phonetically pronounced as **/biːt/**. Explore the detailed meaning, morphological structure, and usage examples for **"beat"** in our dictionary below.
The English language is incredibly vast, and diving into the definition of the word "beat" provides a perfect example of its linguistic depth. Categorized primarily as a noun, the term "beat" holds specific syntactical roles within a sentence, allowing speakers and writers to convey precise meaning. Understanding how this word functions is an excellent step towards mastering advanced English vocabulary and improving overall reading comprehension.
For those looking to perfect their spoken English, noting the phonetic pronunciation of "beat" is crucial. It is typically transcribed as /biːt/. Proper enunciation ensures that your intended message is received clearly, preventing miscommunication in both formal and casual settings. Linguistic scholars often track the phonological evolution of words like "beat" to understand broader historical shifts in dialects and accents across different English-speaking populations.
When deciding how to use "beat" in everyday communication, it helps to look at exactly how it operates as a noun. In professional writing, academic essays, and creative literature, choosing the perfect vocabulary word can drastically elevate the tone of the text. Because "beat" carries its own unique connotations and denotations, swapping it for a simpler synonym might dilute the impact of your sentence.
Our comprehensive dictionary tool is designed to provide immediate, reliable definitions for thousands of terms, including "beat". By consistently exploring the nuances of vocabulary—including phonetics (/biːt/), part of speech (noun), and usage examples—you can significantly expand your linguistic repertoire. Bookmark this page as a quick reference tool whenever you encounter "beat" in reading materials or wish to incorporate it into your active vocabulary.
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How do I use beat in a sentence?
Refer to the usage examples above to see how "beat" can be used in academic and casual conversations.