beat+a+retreat
11beat a retreat — See beat a hasty retreat …
12beat a retreat — idi to withdraw or retreat, esp. in disgrace …
13beat a retreat — verb To leave hastily in the face of opposition. See Also: beat to quarters …
14beat a retreat — phrasal to leave in haste …
15beat the retreat — Meaning Rapidly withdraw from something. Origin From the early military practise of warning soldiers to withdraw by beating drums …
16beat a retreat — withdraw quickly, pull back quickly; withdraw because of defeat …
17beat a hasty retreat — beat a (hasty) retreat ► to decide not to continue with something that has become too difficult or not worth doing: »Most of the market beat a hasty retreat, investors being unimpressed by a volatile performance on Wall Street. beat a retreat… …
18beat — UK US /biːt/ verb [T] (beat, beaten, US also beat) ► to do better than someone or something: »Yesterday s close beat the record set Feb. 1. »With their lowest price guarantee, they will beat the price of a competitor s product by 10%. beat… …
19beat a hasty retreat — beat a (hasty) retreat to quickly leave. When the cold grows overwhelming, visitors can beat a retreat to Joe Mulligan s warm bar and restaurant. Etymology: based on the military meaning of beat a retreat (= to drum a signal to soldiers that they …
20beat — ► VERB (past beat; past part. beaten) 1) strike (someone) repeatedly and violently. 2) strike repeatedly to flatten or make a noise. 3) defeat, surpass, or overcome. 4) informal baffle. 5) (of the heart) pulsate. 6) …