beat — to hit repeatedly; to defeat in a competition
Part of speech: VERB
Definition: to hit repeatedly; to defeat in a competition
Pronunciation (IPA): /biːt/
Example Sentences
- My heart beats faster when I see my crush at school.
- She beat me at chess again - I'm officially terrible at this game!
- The police officer walked his beat every night.
beat
VERB[/biːt/]
to hit repeatedly; to defeat in a competition

He beats the drum hard — the surface dents and the sound explodes outward.

Beat the bag in scorching heat, with dancing feet!
Got the picture? Now let's practice.
🎤Pronunciation
🌳Etymology
Origin
The word derives from Old English 'beatan', meaning 'to strike or hit'. Originating from Proto-Germanic roots shared across the Germanic language family, the term evolved over time to encompass extended meanings including 'to defeat' and 'rhythmic pulse or tempo'.
Breakdown
beatan (Old English: to strike) + -en (infinitive suffix) → beat. The root carries the fundamental sense of percussion or impact, which later extended metaphorically to mean overcoming or establishing rhythm.
🎵Rhyme
🔗Collocations
📝Examples
“My heart beats faster when I see my crush at school.”
“She beat me at chess again - I'm officially terrible at this game!”
“The police officer walked his beat every night.”
“After studying for 12 hours straight, I'm completely beat.”
“Can you beat it? My little brother actually cleaned his room without being asked!”
📚Related Words
Synonyms
Antonyms
Related
Want to master 19,000+ words?
Sign up free for flashcards & quizzes.