beat it

Idioms

Go away, as in We should beat it before the food's all gone. This term is rude when used as an imperative, as in Stop pestering me—beat it! [Slang; late 1800s]

Example Sentences

Examples are provided to illustrate real-world usage of words in context. Any opinions expressed do not reflect the views of Dictionary.com.

But most beat it back to the city without venturing to neighboring Colares, a verdant region of cypress and eucalyptus, with a generous supply of fruit stands and antique shops, gradually sloping to lesser-known beaches.

From The Wall Street Journal • Mar. 27, 2026

Teams who were being pressed by opposition forwards at goal-kicks are now playing long, to beat it.

From BBC • Dec. 7, 2025

Gold could get close to $5000 per ounce in 2026 and beat it in 2027, predicts Deutsche Bank.

From MarketWatch • Nov. 26, 2025

“We need to do what we can to narrow the path of destruction and give firefighters a chance to beat it down,” Wright said.

From Los Angeles Times • Jun. 11, 2025

His face flushed with annoyance, and taldng off his soft hat he began to beat it impatiently against his leg as he walked.

From "The Awakening" by Kate Chopin

Definitions and idiom definitions from Dictionary.com Unabridged, based on the Random House Unabridged Dictionary, © Random House, Inc. 2023