[bear with] , To have patience with; not get angry with. * /Your little sister is sick. Try to bear with her when she cries./ * /It is hard to bear with criticism./ Syn.: PUT UP WITH. Compare: CARRY ONE'S CROSS.
[beat] See: HEART SKIP A BEAT, OFF THE BEATEN TRACK.
[beat about the bush] or [beat around the bush] , To talk about things without giving a clear answer; avoid the question or the point. * /He would not answer yes or no, but beat about the bush./ * /He beat about the bush for a half hour without coming to the point./ Compare: BESIDE THE POINT. Contrast: COME TO THE POINT.
[beat all] or [beat the Dutch] , To be strange or surprising. * /John found a box full of money buried in his garage. Doesn't that beat all!/ * /It beats the Dutch how Tom always makes a basket./
[beat all hollow] also [beat hollow] , To do much better than; to beat very badly. * /We beat their team all hollow./ * /As a speaker, he beats us all hollow./
[beat a retreat] 1. To give a signal, esp. by beating a drum, to go back. * /The Redcoats' drums were beating a retreat./ 2. To run away. * /They beat a retreat when they saw that they were too few./ * /The cat beat a hasty retreat when he saw the dog coming./ Compare: BACK DOWN, FALL BACK.
[beat around the bush] See: BEAT ABOUT THE BUSH.
[beat down] 1. To crush or break the spirit of; win over; conquer. * /All their defenses were beaten down by the tanks./ 2. a. To try to get reduced; force down by discussing. * /Can we beat down the price?/ b. To persuade or force (someone) to accept a lower price or easier payments. * /He tried to beat us down, so we did not sell the house./ 3. To shine brightly or hotly. * /At noon the sun beat down on our heads as we walked home./
[beaten path] The usual route or way of operating that has been conventionally established, * /If we always follow the beaten path, we'll never have the courage to try something new./
[beaten track] See: BEATEN PATH.
[beat hollow] See: BEAT ALL HOLLOW.
[beat into one's head] , To teach by telling again and again; repeat often; drill, also, to be cross and punish often. * /Tom is lazy and stubborn and his lessons have to be beaten into his head./ * /I cannot beat it into his head that he should take off his hat in the house./
[beat it] , To go away in a hurry; get out quickly. * /When he heard the crash he beat it as fast as he could./ - Often used as a command. * /The big boy said, "Beat it, kid. We don't want you with us."/ Compare: CLEAR OUT(2), LIGHT OUT, HEAD FOR THE HILLS.
