beating
- 01 B2 Upper Intermediate
n.the act of hitting someone many times, usually as a punishment or in a fight.
n.an instance of physical assault or corporal punishment involving repeated blows.
Simple“The victim was lucky to survive such a severe beating.”
In context“The historical records describe a brutal beating administered to the prisoner after his failed attempt to escape the fortress.”
- 02 B2 Upper Intermediate
n.a situation where a person or team loses a game or competition by a lot.
n.a decisive or humiliating defeat in a competition, election, or conflict.
Simple“Our local team took a real beating in the finals last night.”
In context“The incumbent party took a significant beating at the polls, losing several key seats that had been considered safe for decades.”
- 03 B2 Upper Intermediate
n.a regular sound or movement, like your heart or a drum.
n.a rhythmic pulsation or throb, most commonly associated with cardiac activity or percussion.
Simple“The doctor listened to the steady beating of the patient's heart.”
In context“The rhythmic beating of the drums echoed through the valley, signaling the start of the traditional ceremony.”
Synonyms - 04 B1 Intermediate
v.the action of hitting something or being better than someone else in a game.
v.the present participle or gerund of 'beat', used to describe ongoing hitting, defeating, or rhythmic movement.
Simple“He was beating the rug to get the dust out.”
In context“By beating their main rivals in the opening round, the young team gained the confidence necessary to pursue the championship title.”
Usage beating of his nephew
“From what to wear to getting a restful night's sleep, you share your tips for beating the heat.”
“The average sea surface temperature (SST) outside the world's polar regions - between 60 degrees north and 60 degrees south - was 20.96C last month, beating the previous high of 20.89C, set in 2023.”
By surface analysis, beat + -ing.
Etymology adapted from Wiktionary, available under CC BY-SA 4.0.