beat out

beat out (third-person singular simple present beats out, present participle beating out, simple past beat out, past participle beaten out or beat out)

1. To sound a rhythm on a percussion instrument such as a drum.

   The drummer beat out a steady slow march.

   • 1850, [Alfred, Lord Tennyson], In Memoriam, London: Edward Moxon, , →OCLC, Canto II:

     The seasons bring the flower again,
     ⁠And bring the firstling to the flock;
     ⁠And in the dusk of thee, the clock
     Beats out the little lives of men.

2. To extinguish.

   He managed to beat the flames out with a blanket.

3. (US) To defeat by a narrow margin.

   She beat out three other contenders to claim the prize.

4. To work out fully.
5. To make gold or silver leaf out of solid metal.
6. To bash a hole in.
7. (baseball, of a runner) To reach base after a bunt or groundball.
   • 1726 October 28, [Jonathan Swift], “The Author Gives Some Account of Himself and Family, His First Inducements to Travel. ”, in Travels into Several Remote Nations of the World. , volume I, London: Benj Motte, , →OCLC, part I (A Voyage to Lilliput), page 13:

     I then made another ſign that I wanted Drink. They found by my eating, that a ſmall Quantity would not ſuffice me, and being a moſt ingenious People, they flung up with great dexterity one of their largeſt Hogſheads, then rolled it towards my Hand, and beat out the top; I drank it off at a Draught, which I might well do, for it did not hold half a pint, and taſted like a ſmall Wine of Burgundy, but much more delicious.

8. Used other than figuratively or idiomatically: see beat,‎ out.

• outbeat