beating

American  

[bee-ting] / ˈbi tɪŋ /

noun

1. the act of a person or thing that beats, as to punish, clean, mix, etc..

   Give the rug a good beating.

2. a defeat or reverse; loss; setback

   Several stocks took a beating in the market today.

3. pulsation; throbbing.

   the beating of her heart.

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beating British  

/ ˈbiːtɪŋ /

noun

1. a whipping or thrashing, as in punishment

2. a defeat or setback

3. to be difficult to improve upon

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Etymology

Origin of beating

First recorded in 1200–50; from Middle English betynge; beat, -ing ¹

Example Sentences

Still, now, hours after my assignment, I can feel it beating so hard against my chest I think it might bruise my ribs.

From Literature

The brothers used to play golf together, and Johnny, who played in high school, kept beating Jake.

From Los Angeles Times

He ripped off his coat and began beating hard at the last of the flames that were still valiantly trying to spread.

From Literature

Shares of airlines were taking a broad beating in early trading Monday, as the Iran conflict raised worries about higher fuel costs, as well as the impact on travel demand.

From MarketWatch

To Steele, all of the wins add up to a team that’s capable of beating anybody.

From The Wall Street Journal

Related Words

• defeat
• drubbing
• slaughter
• whipping