▸ beat out of PHRASAL VERB If someone beats another person out of something, they get that thing by deceiving the other person or behaving dishonestly. □ [V n P P n] If he could beat his uncle out of a dollar he'd do it.
▸ beat up
1 PHRASAL VERB If someone beats a person up , they hit or kick the person many times. □ [V n P ] Then they actually beat her up as well. □ [V P n] The government supporters are beating up anyone they suspect of favouring the demonstrators. ● beating-up (beatings-up ) N‑COUNT □ There had been no violence, no beatings-up until then.
2 PHRASAL VERB If you beat yourself up about something, you worry about it a lot or blame yourself for it. [INFORMAL ] □ [V n P + about ] Tell them you don't want to do it any more. Don't beat yourself up about it. □ [V n P ] I don't beat myself up. I don't deal with things I can't handle.
▸ beat up on
1 PHRASAL VERB If someone beats up on a person or beats on them, they hit or kick the person many times. [AM ] □ [V P P n] He beat up on my brother's kid one time. [Also V P n]
2 PHRASAL VERB If someone beats up on another person, they threaten them or treat them unkindly. [AM , INFORMAL ] □ [V P P n] She had to beat up on every customer just to get the bills paid. COLLOCATIONS beat NOUN 3
verb + beat : miss, skip VERB
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beat + noun : rival, side, team
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beat + noun : record
beat|able /biː təb ə l/ ADJ [v-link ADJ ] Someone who is beatable can be beaten. □ All teams are beatable, but it's going to be very, very difficult.
beat|en ◆◇◇ /biː t ə n/
1 ADJ [ADJ n] Beaten earth has been pressed down, often by people's feet, until it is hard. □ Before you is a well-worn path of beaten earth.
2 PHRASE A place that is off the beaten track is in an area where not many people live or go. □ Tiny secluded beaches can be found off the beaten track.
bea ten-u p ADJ [ADJ n] A beaten-up car or other object is old and in bad condition. □ Her sandals were old and somewhat beaten-up, but very comfortable.
beat|er /biː tə r / (beaters )
1 N‑COUNT [oft n N ] A beater is a tool or part of a machine which is used for beating things like eggs and cream. □ Whisk the batter with a wire whisk or hand beater until it is smooth and light.
2 → see also world beater
bea|tif|ic /biː ət I f I k/ ADJ [usu ADJ n] A beatific expression shows or expresses great happiness and calmness. [LITERARY ] □ …a beatific smile.
be|ati|fy /biæ t I fa I / (beatifies , beatifying , beatified ) VERB When the Catholic church beatifies someone who is dead, it declares officially that they were a holy person, usually as the first step towards making them a saint. □ [V n] The Pope beatified 498 priests and nuns killed in the Spanish Civil War. ● be|ati|fi|ca|tion /biæ t I f I ke I ʃ ə n/ N‑UNCOUNT □ [+ of ] …the beatification of Cardinal John Henry Newman, the Victorian divine.
beat|ing ◆◇◇ /biː t I ŋ/ (beatings )
1 N‑COUNT If someone is given a beating , they are hit hard many times, especially with something such as a stick. □ …after a savage beating by fellow inmates. □ The team secured pictures of prisoners showing signs of severe beatings.
2 N‑SING If something such as a business, a political party, or a team takes a beating , it is defeated by a large amount in a competition or election. □ Our firm has taken a terrible beating in recent years.
3 PHRASE If you say that something will take some beating , you mean that it is very good and it is unlikely that anything better will be done or made. [INFORMAL ] □ For sheer scale and grandeur, Leeds Castle in Kent takes some beating.
beat|nik /biː tn I k/ (beatniks ) N‑COUNT Beatniks were young people in the late 1950's who rejected traditional ways of living, dressing, and behaving. People sometimes use the word beatnik to refer to anyone who lives in an unconventional way. □ …a beatnik art student.
bea t-u p ADJ [ADJ n] A beat-up car or other object is old and in bad condition. [INFORMAL ] □ …a beat-up old Fiat 131.
beau /boʊ / (beaux or beaus ) N‑COUNT [oft poss N ] A woman's beau is her boyfriend or lover. [OLD-FASHIONED ]
beaut /bjuː t/ (beauts ) N‑COUNT You describe someone or something as a beaut when you think they are very good. [mainly AM or AUSTRALIAN , INFORMAL ]
beau|te|ous /bjuː tiəs/ ADJ Beauteous means the same as beautiful. [LITERARY ]
beau|ti|cian /bjuːt I ʃ ə n/ (beauticians ) N‑COUNT A beautician is a person whose job is giving people beauty treatments such as doing their nails, treating their skin, and putting on their make-up.
beau|ti|ful ◆◆◇ /bjuː t I fʊl/
1 ADJ A beautiful person is very attractive to look at. □ She was a very beautiful woman. □ To me he is the most beautiful child in the world.
2 ADJ If you describe something as beautiful , you mean that it is very attractive or pleasing. □ New England is beautiful. □ It was a beautiful morning. ● beau|ti|ful|ly /bjuː t I fli/ ADV [usu ADV after v] □ The children behaved beautifully. □ …a beautifully clear, sunny day.
3 ADJ You can describe something that someone does as beautiful when they do it very skilfully. □ That's a beautiful shot! ● beau|ti|ful|ly ADV [ADV after v, ADV -ed] □ Arsenal played beautifully.