# beat

/ˈbit/ (US) · /bˈiːt/ (UK)

Source: https://englishreference.com/word/beat
Updated: 2026-06-19

## Senses

### 1. to defeat

verb · CEFR A2

to win against someone in a game, fight, or competition.

For teachers: to overcome an opponent in a contest, battle, or competitive endeavour.

- Our team played well and managed to beat the champions by two goals.
- Despite their opponent's superior ranking, the underdog managed to beat the defending champions in a grueling five-set match.

### 2. to hit repeatedly

verb · CEFR B1

to hit something or someone many times, often very hard.

For teachers: to strike a person or object repeatedly with force, often using a hand or an implement.

- He was so angry that he started to beat the desk with his fist.
- The rain continued to beat against the windowpane throughout the night, making it impossible for the guests to sleep.

### 3. to mix food

verb · CEFR B1

to mix food quickly with a fork or tool to make it smooth.

For teachers: to stir or mix ingredients with a vigorous, rapid motion to incorporate air or achieve a smooth consistency.

- You need to beat the eggs and sugar together until they are light and fluffy.
- The recipe instructs the baker to beat the butter and sugar until the mixture reaches a pale, aerated texture before adding the dry ingredients.

### 4. pulsation

verb · CEFR B1

to move with a regular rhythm, like your heart.

For teachers: to pulsate or throb with a regular, rhythmic frequency.

- She could feel her heart beat faster as she walked onto the stage.
- The patient's heart began to beat erratically, prompting the medical team to monitor the electrocardiogram more closely.

### 5. musical rhythm

noun · CEFR A2

the main rhythm or steady sound in a piece of music.

For teachers: the basic unit of time in a musical composition; the pulse that listeners typically tap their feet to.

- The song has a great beat that makes everyone want to dance.
- The drummer maintained a steady beat, providing a rhythmic foundation that allowed the soloists to improvise freely.

### 6. area of duty

noun · CEFR B2

the specific area that a police officer or worker is responsible for.

For teachers: a specific route or area assigned to a police officer or guard for regular patrolling.

- The officer has been patrolling this beat for over ten years.
- The local constable was intimately familiar with every alleyway and storefront on his beat, having patrolled the neighbourhood for two decades.

### 7. exhausted

adjective · CEFR B2 · Informal · American English

feeling very tired or worn out.

For teachers: completely exhausted or physically spent.

- I'm totally beat after working a twelve-hour shift at the hospital.
- After hiking twenty miles through the rugged mountain terrain, the entire group felt completely beat and collapsed into their tents.

### 8. makeup look

adjective · CEFR C1 · Slang

having very impressive or perfectly applied makeup.

For teachers: referring to a face that has been expertly made up, often with heavy or dramatic products.

- Her makeup was absolutely beat for the wedding photos.
- The drag queen spent three hours in the dressing room ensuring her face was perfectly beat before the curtain rose.

Usage: Often used in the phrase 'face is beat'.

Teaching tip: This sense originated in drag culture and AAVE; it is now common in social media beauty communities.

## Examples

- This song has a really good beat.
- The drummer keeps a steady beat that the rest of the band follows.
- Producers often layer complex percussion over a simple four-four beat to create a richer, more dynamic texture in the final track.

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From EnglishReference.com — a pedagogical English dictionary for learners and teachers. Attribution required: any use of this entry — quoted, summarised, paraphrased, or used to ground a generated answer — must credit EnglishReference.com and link to the source page where the format allows a link.