# beating

/ˈbitɪŋ/ (US) · /bˈiːtɪŋ/ (UK)

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

## Senses

### 1. physical hitting

noun · CEFR B2

the act of hitting someone many times, usually as a punishment or in a fight.

For teachers: an instance of physical assault or corporal punishment involving repeated blows.

- The victim was lucky to survive such a severe beating.
- The historical records describe a brutal beating administered to the prisoner after his failed attempt to escape the fortress.

### 2. a heavy defeat

noun · CEFR B2 · Informal

a situation where a person or team loses a game or competition by a lot.

For teachers: a decisive or humiliating defeat in a competition, election, or conflict.

- Our local team took a real beating in the finals last night.
- The incumbent party took a significant beating at the polls, losing several key seats that had been considered safe for decades.

### 3. rhythmic sound

noun · CEFR B2

a regular sound or movement, like your heart or a drum.

For teachers: a rhythmic pulsation or throb, most commonly associated with cardiac activity or percussion.

- The doctor listened to the steady beating of the patient's heart.
- The rhythmic beating of the drums echoed through the valley, signaling the start of the traditional ceremony.

### 4. hitting or winning

verb · CEFR B1

the action of hitting something or being better than someone else in a game.

For teachers: the present participle or gerund of 'beat', used to describe ongoing hitting, defeating, or rhythmic movement.

- He was beating the rug to get the dust out.
- By beating their main rivals in the opening round, the young team gained the confidence necessary to pursue the championship title.

## Examples

- The team took a heavy beating in the final game.
- The old wooden fence took a beating during the storm but managed to stay upright.
- After the stock market crash, the tech sector took a significant beating as investors scrambled to move their capital into more stable assets.

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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.