B
Idioms beginning with "B"
Part of speech, explanation, example sentences, pronunciation
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Contents of B:
[beat down] {v.}
1. To crush or break the spirit of; win over; conquer.
All their defenses were beaten down by the tanks.
2. {informal}
a. To try to get reduced; force down by discussing.
Can we beat down the price?
b. To persuade or force […]
[beat into one's head] {v. phr.}, {informal}
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 […]
[beat it] {v.}, {slang}
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 […]
[beat one to it] {v. phr.}
To arrive or get ahead of another person.
I was about to call you, John, but you have beat me to it! Thanks for calling me.
[beat one's brains out] or [beat one's brains] {v. phr.}, {slang}
To try very hard to understand or think out something difficult; tire yourself out by thinking.
It was too hard for him and he beat his brains out trying to get the answer.
* /Some […]
[beat one's gums] {v. phr.}, {slang}
To engage in idle talk, or meaningless chatter; generally to talk too much.
"Stop beating your gums, Jack," Joe cried. "I am falling asleep."
Compare:
[CHEW THE FAT] or [CHEW THE RAG],
[SHOOT THE BREEZE] or […]
[beat one's head against a wall] {v. phr.}
To struggle uselessly against something that can't be beaten or helped; not succeed after trying very hard.
Trying to make him change his mind is just beating your head against a wall.
[beat the --- out of] or
[lick the --- out of] or
[whale the --- out of] {v. phr.}, {informal}
To beat hard; give a bad beating to. — Used with several words after "the", as "daylights", "living daylights", "tar".
* /The big kid told Charlie that he […]