beat about the bush

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beat about/around the bush

to avoid talking about a difficult or embarrassing subject because you are worried about upsetting the person you are talking to (usually negative) Don't beat around the bush. Just tell me where my brother is. There is no point in beating about the bush. I'm leaving you.

See also: beat, bush

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Not to beat about the bush (for the advantages of the scheme would take a week to tell) what's to prevent your marrying her? The Old Curiosity Shop by Dickens, Charles View in context Coulson," he said, "we need not beat about the bush. The Illustrious Prince by Oppenheim, E. Phillips View in context			bear arms bear cross bear down bear fruit bear in mind bear in mind that bear off bear on bear out bear testimony to bear the brunt bear the brunt of bear up bear watching bear with bear witness to beard beard in den beard the lion in his den bearing beast beat beat a dead horse beat a path to door beat a retreat beat about the bush beat against beat around the bush beat at beat back beat brains out beat breast beat down beat down on beat down to size beat gums beat head against the wall beat hollow beat into beat it Beat it! beat off beat on beat oneself up beat out beat swords into ploughshares beat the bushes beat the clock beat the daylights out of beat the drum beat the drum for			beat beat beat beat Beat (acoustics) Beat (album) Beat (album) Beat (album) Beat (album) beat (one's) brains (out) beat (one's) brains (out) beat (one's) brains (out) beat (one's) brains (out) Beat a dead horse Beat a dead horse beat a hasty retreat beat a hasty retreat beat a hasty retreat beat a hasty retreat beat a path to door beat a path to door beat a path to door beat a path to door beat a path to door beat a retreat beat a retreat beat a retreat beat a retreat beat a retreat beat about beat about the bush beat against beat against beat against beat against beat against beat all beat all beat all beat all Beat All to Stuff beat around the bush beat around the bush beat around the bush beat at beat at their own game beat at their own game beat at their own game beat at their own game Beat Auto Theft Through Law Enforcement beat back beat back beat back beat back beat back beat bobby beat brains out beat breast beat breast beat breast beat breast

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