beat to it
Idioms-
Get ahead of someone to obtain something, as in There was only enough for one, so Jane ran as fast as she could in order to beat Jerry to it . [ Colloquial ; c. 1900]
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Also, . React more quickly than someone else. For example, The new salesman tried to serve one of my customers, but I beat him to the draw and Bill was determined to get there first and beat everyone else to the punch . The variants imply aggression to get ahead, draw alluding to the drawing of a pistol and punch to hitting with the fists. [Second half of 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.
“It works. It’s got a great beat to it, and a rhythm that kind of mimics running up and down stairs. It becomes the soundtrack of your activity of climbing up the treehouse.”
From Los Angeles Times ● Nov. 16, 2023
Three years later, I heard that two young English guys called DNA had put a beat to it – and I cringed.
From The Guardian ● Oct. 18, 2016
"You give Mick a song and have a good beat to it, he can entertain anyone," Watts said.
From Seattle Times ● Nov. 13, 2012
John Erskine went to retrieve the puck but was beat to it by Wilson and lost his stick at the same time.
From Washington Post ● Nov. 16, 2011
It sang in his blood, his heart beat to it, the hooves of his horse drummed it out on the road.
From Parson Kelly by Andrew Lang
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Idioms from The American Heritage® Idioms Dictionary copyright © 2002, 2001, 1995 by Houghton Mifflin Harcourt Publishing Company. Published by Houghton Mifflin Harcourt Publishing Company.
