Definitions for beat

Definitions for (noun) beat

Main entry: beat

Definition: the act of beating to windward; sailing as close as possible to the direction from which the wind is blowing


Main entry: beat

Definition: a stroke or blow

Usage: the signal was two beats on the steam pipe


Main entry: beat

Definition: a regular rate of repetition

Usage: the cox raised the beat


Main entry: rhythm, beat, musical rhythm

Definition: the basic rhythmic unit in a piece of music

Usage: the piece has a fast rhythm; the conductor set the beat


Main entry: beat, cadence, measure, meter, metre

Definition: (prosody) the accent in a metrical foot of verse


Main entry: beat

Definition: the sound of stroke or blow

Usage: he heard the beat of a drum


Main entry: beat, pulsation, pulse, heartbeat

Definition: the rhythmic contraction and expansion of the arteries with each beat of the heart

Usage: he could feel the beat of her heart


Main entry: beat, round

Definition: a regular route for a sentry or policeman

Usage: in the old days a policeman walked a beat and knew all his people by name


Main entry: beat, beatnik

Definition: a member of the beat generation; a nonconformist in dress and behavior


Main entry: beat

Definition: a single pulsation of an oscillation produced by adding two waves of different frequencies; has a frequency equal to the difference between the two oscillations


Definitions for (verb) beat

Main entry: wash up, exhaust, beat, tucker, tucker out

Definition: wear out completely

Usage: This kind of work exhausts me; I'm beat; He was all washed up after the exam


Main entry: dumbfound, bewilder, baffle, beat, amaze, puzzle, pose, mystify, nonplus, perplex, stick, stupefy, flummox, gravel, get, vex

Definition: be a mystery or bewildering to

Usage: This beats me!; Got me--I don't know the answer!; a vexing problem; This question really stuck me


Main entry: trounce, crush, vanquish, shell, beat, beat out

Definition: come out better in a competition, race, or conflict

Usage: Agassi beat Becker in the tennis championship; We beat the competition; Harvard defeated Yale in the last football game


Main entry: outfox, outsmart, outwit, overreach, circumvent, beat

Definition: beat through cleverness and wit

Usage: I beat the traffic; She outfoxed her competitors


Main entry: work over, beat, beat up

Definition: give a beating to; subject to a beating, either as a punishment or as an act of aggression

Usage: Thugs beat him up when he walked down the street late at night; The teacher used to beat the students


Main entry: beat

Definition: hit repeatedly

Usage: beat on the door; beat the table with his shoe


Main entry: beat

Definition: strike (water or bushes) repeatedly to rouse animals for hunting


Main entry: beat

Definition: strike (a part of one's own body) repeatedly, as in great emotion or in accompaniment to music

Usage: beat one's breast; beat one's foot rhythmically


Main entry: scramble, beat

Definition: stir vigorously

Usage: beat the egg whites; beat the cream


Main entry: beat

Definition: shape by beating

Usage: beat swords into ploughshares


Main entry: beat

Definition: produce a rhythm by striking repeatedly

Usage: beat the drum


Main entry: beat

Definition: make by pounding or trampling

Usage: beat a path through the forest


Main entry: pulsate, quiver, beat

Definition: move with or as if with a regular alternating motion

Usage: the city pulsated with music and excitement


Main entry: pound, thump, beat

Definition: move rhythmically

Usage: Her heart was beating fast


Main entry: beat

Definition: indicate by beating, as with the fingers or drumsticks

Usage: Beat the rhythm


Main entry: beat

Definition: sail with much tacking or with difficulty

Usage: The boat beat in the strong wind


Main entry: beat, flap

Definition: move with a flapping motion

Usage: The bird's wings were flapping


Main entry: flap, beat

Definition: move with a thrashing motion

Usage: The bird flapped its wings; The eagle beat its wings and soared high into the sky


Main entry: beat

Definition: glare or strike with great intensity

Usage: The sun was beating down on us


Main entry: thrum, beat, drum

Definition: make a rhythmic sound

Usage: Rain drummed against the windshield; The drums beat all night


Main entry: tick, ticktack, ticktock, beat

Definition: make a sound like a clock or a timer

Usage: the clocks were ticking; the grandfather clock beat midnight


Main entry: bunk, beat

Definition: avoid paying

Usage: beat the subway fare


Main entry: beat

Definition: be superior

Usage: Reading beats watching television; This sure beats work!


Definitions for (adj) beat

Main entry: bushed, all in, beat, dead

Definition: very tired

Usage: was all in at the end of the day; so beat I could flop down and go to sleep anywhere; bushed after all that exercise; I'm dead after that long trip


Visual thesaurus for beat