beat [OE] An Old English word related to *beetle in the sense ‘heavy mallet’, to strike blows being the core sense. This developed the sense ‘overcome, get the better of’ [ME]. The noun did not develop until later, in the 16th century, developing the musical sense by the 17th century, via drumbeats. The first people to beat about the bush [L16th] were the ‘beaters’ who tried to disturb game birds so that they would fly up to be shot at. The origin of the phrase to beat a hasty retreat was to ‘beat a retreat’ or to sound the drums in a way that signalled to soldiers that they should withdraw from the battle. The drumming also helped them to retreat in an orderly manner.