Part 982

<cs><col>A beating wind</col> <fld>(Naut.)</fld>, <cd>a wind which necessitates tacking in order to make progress.</cd> -- <col>To beat about</col>, <cd>to try to find; to search by various means or ways. <i>Addison<i>.</cd> -- <col>To beat about the bush</col>, <cd>to approach a subject circuitously.</cd> -- <col>To beat up and down</col> <fld>(Hunting)</fld>, <cd>to run first one way and then another; -- said of a stag.</cd> -- <col>To beat up for recruits</col>, <cd>to go diligently about in order to get helpers or participators in an enterprise.</cd></cs>

<h1>Beat</h1> <Xpage=129>

<hw>Beat</hw> <tt>(?)</tt>, <tt>n.</tt> <p><b>1.</b> <def>A stroke; a blow.</def>

<blockquote>He, with a careless <b>beat</b>, Struck out the mute creation at a heat. <i>Dryden.</i></blockquote>

<p><b>2.</b> <def>A recurring stroke; a throb; a pulsation; <as>as, a <ex>beat</ex> of the heart; the <ex>beat</ex> of the pulse.</as></def>

<p><b>3.</b> <fld>(Mus.)</fld> <sd>(a)</sd> <def>The rise or fall of the hand or foot, marking the divisions of time; a division of the measure so marked. In the rhythm of music the <i>beat</i> is the unit.</def> <sd>(b)</sd> <def>A transient grace note, struck immediately before the one it is intended to ornament.</def>

<p><b>4.</b> <fld>(Acoustics & Mus.)</fld> <def>A sudden swelling or re\'89nforcement of a sound, recurring at regular intervals, and produced by the interference of sound waves of slightly different periods of vibrations; applied also, by analogy, to other kinds of wave motions; the pulsation or throbbing produced by the vibrating together of two tones not quite in unison. See <er>Beat</er>, <tt>v. i.</tt>, 8.</def>

<p><b>5.</b> <def>A round or course which is frequently gone over; <as>as, a watchman's <ex>beat</ex></as>.</def>

<p><b>6.</b> <def>A place of habitual or frequent resort.</def>

<p><b>7.</b> <def>A cheat or swindler of the lowest grade; -- often emphasized by <i>dead</i>; <as>as, a <ex>dead beat</ex></as>.</def> <mark></mark>

<cs><col>Beat of drum</col> <fld>(Mil.)</fld>, <cd>a succession of strokes varied, in different ways, for particular purposes, as to regulate a march, to call soldiers to their arms or quarters, to direct an attack, or retreat, etc.</cd> -- <mcol><col>Beat of a watch</col>, &or; <col>clock</col></mcol>, <cd>the stroke or sound made by the action of the escapement. A clock is <i>in beat<i> or out <i>of beat<i>, according as the strokes is at equal or unequal intervals.</cd></cs>

<h1>Beat</h1> <Xpage=129>

<hw>Beat</hw>, <tt>a.</tt> <def>Weary; tired; fatigued; exhausted.</def> <mark>[Colloq.]</mark>

<blockquote>Quite <b>beat</b>, and very much vexed and disappointed. <i>Dickens.</i></blockquote>

<h1>Beaten</h1> <Xpage=129>

<hw>Beat"en</hw> <tt>(?)</tt>, <tt>a.</tt> <p><b>1.</b> <def>Made smooth by beating or treading; worn by use.</def> "A broad and <i>beaten</i> way." <i>Milton</i>. "<i>Beaten</i> gold." <i>Shak</i>.

<p><b>2.</b> <def>Vanquished; conquered; baffled.</def>

<p><b>3.</b> <def>Exhausted; tired out.</def>

<p><b>4.</b> <def>Become common or trite; <as>as, a <ex>beaten</ex> phrase</as>.</def> <mark>[Obs.]</mark>

<p><b>5.</b> <def>Tried; practiced.</def> <mark>[Obs.]</mark>

<i> Beau. & Fl.</i>

<h1>Beater</h1> <Xpage=129>

<hw>Beat"er</hw> <tt>(?)</tt>, <tt>n.</tt> <p><b>1.</b> <def>One who, or that which, beats.</def>

<p><b>2.</b> <def>A person who beats up game for the hunters.</def>

<i>Black.</i>

<h1>Beath</h1> <Xpage=129>

<hw>Beath</hw> <tt>(?)</tt>, <tt>v. t.</tt> <ety>[AS. <ets>be<?/ian</ets> to foment.]</ety> <def>To bathe; also, to dry or heat, as unseasoned wood.</def> <mark>[Obs.]</mark>

<i> Spenser.</i>