Explaining "Beat around the bush"

Reviewed and edited by

Anwar Kareem 10/11/2024, 12:20

English.me team member

What does it mean?

To avoid getting to the main point of a conversation or to talk about unimportant things instead of addressing the issue directly.

Tone

Informal

Origin

The phrase originates from hunting, where hunters would beat around bushes to flush out game birds. Instead of directly catching the birds, they would make noise to scare them into moving. This evolved into the metaphorical meaning of avoiding direct conversation.

Examples of usage

Stop beating around the bush and tell me what you really think.
He kept beating around the bush instead of giving a straightforward answer.
If you want a raise, you need to stop beating around the bush and ask for it directly.