Why should any one . . . beat his head about the Latin grammar who does not intend to be a critic?
Locke.
9. (Mil.) To give the signal for, by beat of drum; to sound by beat of drum; as, to beat an alarm, a charge, a parley, a retreat; to beat the general, the reveille, the tattoo. See Alarm, Charge, Parley, etc.
To beat down, to haggle with (any one) to secure a lower price; to force down. [Colloq.] -- To beat into, to teach or instill, by repetition. -- To beat off, to repel or drive back. -- To beat out, to extend by hammering. -- To beat out of a thing, to cause to relinquish it, or give it up. "Nor can anything beat their posterity out of it to this day." South. -- To beat the dust. (Man.) (a) To take in too little ground with the fore legs, as a horse. (b) To perform curvets too precipitately or too low. -- To beat the hoof, to walk; to go on foot. -- To beat the wing, to flutter; to move with fluttering agitation. -- To beat time, to measure or regulate time in music by the motion of the hand or foot. -- To beat up, to attack suddenly; to alarm or disturb; as, to beat up an enemy's quarters.
Syn. -- To strike; pound; bang; buffet; maul; drub; thump; baste; thwack; thrash; pommel; cudgel; belabor; conquer; defeat; vanquish; overcome.
Beat, v. i. 1. To strike repeatedly; to inflict repeated blows; to knock vigorously or loudly.
The men of the city . . . beat at the door.
Judges. xix. 22.