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Definition beat in British English

beat verb

verb
/biːt/

▪ comfortably, comprehensively, convincingly, easily, narrowly, soundly

1

to defeat someone in a game, competition, election, or battle

Example

England needed to beat Germany to get to the final.

Example

In 2000, George W Bush narrowly beat Al Gore in the election.

Synonyms and related words
defeat win beat campaign canvass run
1.1

to do something faster, for longer, more times etc than has been done before

Example

She beat the world record by 0.3 of a second.

Example

I'll be happy if I beat my previous score.

Synonyms and related words
surpass outdo rise above
Example

It is one of the few businesses that has beaten the recession.

Example

women who have beaten breast cancer

Synonyms and related words
succeed manage pull off
2

to arrive before someone else

Example

See if you can beat me back to the house!

Synonyms and related words
beat someone to it make the first move beat
2.1

to do something before a planned time or before something happens

Example

He was always trying to beat the clock and finish early.

Synonyms and related words
beat someone to it make the first move beat
3

to hit someone violently several times

Example

They were arrested for beating their children.

Synonyms and related words
hit smack bludgeon
4

to hit something several times making a regular pattern of sounds, or to make this pattern of sounds

Example

Someone was beating a drum in the distance.

Synonyms and related words
punch thump knock
4.1

to hit an object or part of the body with your hands

Example

I beat my hands on the wall with rage.

Example

He suddenly beat the table with his fist.

Synonyms and related words
punch thump knock
4.2

if a bird or insect beats its wings, or if its wings beat, it hits them together several times

Synonyms and related words
alight beat be on the wing alight beat be on the wing
4.3

to hit something many times or for a long period of time

Example

The rain was beating against the windows with renewed force.

Example

waves beating on the shore

Synonyms and related words
punch thump knock
4.4

to hit a piece of metal with a special hammer in order to make it thinner

Synonyms and related words
anvil bar beat
5

if someone's heart beats, it makes the same sound and movements again and again as it pumps blood around their body

Example

The shock had made my heart beat faster.

Synonyms and related words
beat bleed clot
6

to mix foods such as eggs, cream, or butter well using a fork or a special tool or machine. This tool or machine can be called a beater.

Synonyms and related words
bake beat blanch
7

to be better than something else

Example

For me, surfing the Net beats watching TV any time.

Synonyms and related words
surpass outdo rise above
7.1

used for saying that something is very good

Example

You can't beat a good book.

Synonyms and related words
highly monumental cool
8

to launch a product earlier than anyone else and thus get a competitive edge

Example

Obviously, Apple would be upset by any announcement that some company was going to beat them to market.

Definition beat in British English

Related Words

Words related to beat:

a stick to beat someone with (phrase) the drum (phrase) be hard to beat (phrase) beat (verb) beat (noun) beat (adjective) beat a path to someone’s door (phrase) beat the bush (phrase) beat down (phrasal verb) beat it (phrase) beat off (phrasal verb) beat on (phrasal verb) beat out (phrasal verb) beat someone to a pulp (phrase) beat someone to it (phrase) beat someone to market (phrase) beat the rap (phrase) beat the system (phrase) beat time (phrase) beat up (phrasal verb) beat up on (phrasal verb) beat your breast (phrase) beat-up (adjective) someone’s brains out (phrase) a dead horse (phrase) someone at their own game (phrase) someone (to) within an inch of their life (phrase) can you beat that/it? (phrase) dead beat (adjective) the hell out of someone (phrase) someone over the head (phrase) if you can’t beat ’em join ’em (phrase) the shit out of someone (phrase) the Beat Generation ()