- beat the retreat
- Meaning
Rapidly withdraw from something.OriginFrom the early military practise of warning soldiers to withdraw by beating drums.
Meaning and origin of phrases. 2013.
beat the retreat
Look at other dictionaries:
beat the retreat — see ↑beat a retreat above. • • • Main Entry: ↑beat … Useful english dictionary
beat a retreat — verb depart hastily • Hypernyms: ↑depart, ↑take leave, ↑quit • Verb Frames: Somebody s * * * phrasal : to retreat or retire often in haste or with loss of dignity * * * beat a retreat … Useful english dictionary
beat a 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… … Financial and business terms
beat a 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 … New idioms dictionary
beat a retreat — {v. phr.} 1. To give a signal, esp. by beating a drum, to go back. * /The Redcoats drums were beating a retreat./ 2. To run away. * /They beat a retreat when they saw that they were too few./ * /The cat beat a hasty retreat when he saw the dog… … Dictionary of American idioms
beat a retreat — {v. phr.} 1. To give a signal, esp. by beating a drum, to go back. * /The Redcoats drums were beating a retreat./ 2. To run away. * /They beat a retreat when they saw that they were too few./ * /The cat beat a hasty retreat when he saw the dog… … Dictionary of American idioms
beat\ a\ retreat — v. phr. 1. To give a signal, esp. by beating a drum, to go back. The Redcoats drums were beating a retreat. 2. To run away. They beat a retreat when they saw that they were too few. The cat beat a hasty retreat when he saw the dog coming. Compare … Словарь американских идиом
beat a retreat — to leave a place because it is dangerous or unpleasant. When the cold grows overwhelming, visitors can beat a retreat to Joe Mulligan s warm saloon. When we saw the police arriving we beat a hasty retreat … New idioms dictionary
beat a retreat — verb To leave hastily in the face of opposition. See Also: beat to quarters … Wiktionary
To beat the dust — Beat Beat (b[=e]t), v. t. [imp. {Beat}; p. p. {Beat}, {Beaten}; p. pr. & vb. n. {Beating}.] [OE. beaten, beten, AS. be[ a]tan; akin to Icel. bauta, OHG. b[=o]zan. Cf. 1st {Butt}, {Button}.] 1. To strike repeatedly; to lay repeated blows upon; as … The Collaborative International Dictionary of English
