Hello and welcome to this week’s Idiom of the Week: ‘Beat About the Bush”

Beating a bush?

‘Beat About the Bush’ is another one of my favourite idioms. I always have the vision of a person beating a bush; similar to what is happening in the image, in my head. However; this is not happening when this idiom is used.

The meaning of ‘Beat About the Bush’ is to avoid talking about a difficult or embarrassing subject because you are worried about upsetting the person you are talking to (usually negative)

I have not heard it being used for a while; possibly because the older population use it more than the younger population.

Here are some examples of it being used:

“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.”