beat around the bush

beat around the bush
verb
be deliberately ambiguous or unclear in order to mislead or withhold information
• Syn: ↑equivocate, ↑tergiversate, ↑prevaricate, ↑palter
• Derivationally related forms: ↑paltering (for: ↑palter), ↑prevarication (for: ↑prevaricate), ↑prevaricator (for: ↑prevaricate), ↑tergiversation (for: ↑tergiversate), ↑equivocation (for: ↑equivocate), ↑equivocator (for: ↑equivocate)
• Hypernyms: ↑misinform, ↑mislead
• Verb Frames:
-

Somebody ——s

-

Somebody ——s PP

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phrasal

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to spend a long time getting to the main point of what you are saying, especially because it is embarrassing

Stop beating around the bush and tell me the truth.

Thesaurus: to change from one subject or discussion to anothersynonym
Main entry: beat

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I beat around (or beat about) the bush
discuss a matter without coming to the point
II beat around (or beat about) the bush
see beat

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beat around the bush (or Brit beat about the bush)
: to avoid saying something by talking about other things

Stop beating around the bush and tell me why you're here.

• • •
Main Entry: ↑bush

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beat about the ˈbush idiom
(BrE) (NAmE beat around the ˈbush) to talk about sth for a long time without coming to the main point

•

Stop beating about the bush and tell me what you want.

Main entry: ↑beatidiom

Useful english dictionary. 2012.

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Look at other dictionaries:

  • beat around the bush — See: BEAT ABOUT THE BUSH …   Dictionary of American idioms

  • beat around the bush — See: BEAT ABOUT THE BUSH …   Dictionary of American idioms

  • beat\ around\ the\ bush — • beat about the bush • beat around the bush v. phr. slang To talk about things without giving a clear answer; avoid the question or the point. He would not answer yes or no, but beat about the bush. He beat about the bush for a half hour without …   Словарь американских идиом

  • beat around the bush — beat about/around the bush to avoid talking about a difficult or embarrassing subject because you are worried about upsetting the person you are talking to. Don t beat around the bush. Just tell me where my brother is. (usually negative) There is …   New idioms dictionary

  • beat around the bush — talk without telling the main point    Politicians often beat around the bush. They talk a lot but say little …   English idioms

  • beat around the bush — Synonyms and related words: about the bush, around the bush, beat about, beat around, beg the question, bicker, boggle, cavil, choplogic, circumlocute, dodge, duck, equivocate, evade, evade the issue, fence, go round about, hedge, hem and haw,… …   Moby Thesaurus

  • beat around the bush — verb a) To treat a topic, but omit its main points, often intentionally. Please stop beating around the bush and tell me what the problem is! b) To delay or avoid talking about something difficult or unpleasant. Syn …   Wiktionary

  • beat around the bush — phrasal see beat about the bush …   New Collegiate Dictionary

  • beat around the bush —    This expression is used to tell someone to say what they have to say, clearly and directly, even if it is unpleasant.     Stop beating around the bush. Just tell me what has been decided! …   English Idioms & idiomatic expressions

  • beat around the bush — speak indirectly or evasively Stop beating around the bush and give us your final decision …   Idioms and examples

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