beat around the bush
idiom/biːt əˈraʊnd ðə bʊʃ/
🔊 listen
Beat around the bush means to avoid getting to the point — to talk in a roundabout way instead of saying what you really mean. It usually carries a slightly impatient tone: you want the person to be direct and stop wasting time.
📖 Meanings
1to avoid talking about something directly or getting to the point
"Stop beating around the bush and tell me what happened." — Stop avoiding the subject and tell me what happened.
2to speak indirectly, delaying the main message
"He kept beating around the bush instead of asking for a raise." — He kept talking indirectly instead of just asking for a raise.
🔄 Related phrases
💬 Common patterns
stop beating around the bushwithout beating around the bushquit beating around the bush
❓ You're tired of someone being indirect. How do you ask them to get to the point?