beat

Meanings

1. 1
   noun

   a stroke or blow

   the signal was two beats on the steam pipe

2. 2
   noun

   a regular rate of repetition

   the cox raised the beat

3. 3
   noun

   the sound of stroke or blow

   I heard the beat of a drum.

4. 4
   noun

   the rhythmic contraction and expansion of the arteries with each heart cycle

   I could feel the beat of your heart.

5. 5
   noun

   a regular route for a sentry or policeman

   In the old days, a policeman walked a beat and knew all of the names of the folks in the neighborhood.

6. 6
   verb

   to wear out completely

   I beat that car.

7. 7
   verb

   to be a mystery or bewildering to

   The magic trick beats me!

8. 8
   verb

   to come out better in a competition, race, or conflict

   We beat everyone we played in the tennis doubles championship.

Etymology

Etymology tree Proto-Indo-European *bʰew-der.? Proto-Germanic *bautaną Proto-West Germanic *bautan Old English bēatan Middle English beten English beat Inherited from Middle English beten, from Old English bēatan (“to beat, pound, strike, lash, dash, thrust, hurt, injure”), from Proto-West Germanic *bautan, from Proto-Germanic *bautaną (“to push, strike”). Cognates Cognate with Dutch boten, botten, butten (“to push, strike”), German boßen (“to thrash”), Gothic *𐌱𐌰𐌿𐍄𐌰𐌽 (*bautan, “to beat, strike”) (whence, probably, Galician and Portuguese botar (“to expel; to throw”)); also Latin fūstis (“club…