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What does "beat" excactly mean here? Thank you!
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It's from the military expression "to beat a retreat". It means to drum a signal to soldiers (by beating a drum) that they are to move back from a fight, usually one that they have lost.
And "hasty" means "fast". So to beat a hasty retreat means to leave a place quickly, particularly after something didn't work out as expected.
And "hasty" means "fast". So to beat a hasty retreat means to leave a place quickly, particularly after something didn't work out as expected.
The whole phrase means 'withdraw rapidly'. 'Beat' means to beat the drum (see the explanation below).
"This is a relatively recent phrase and is a commonly used cliche variant of 'beat a retreat'. Many people now would say 'beat a retreat' but originally it was 'beat the retreat'. A retreat wasn't just a generalised withdrawal but a specific military procedure established by the British Army. The signal for this was a pattern of drum beats known as The Retreat. But, a retreat wasn't a signal to fall back and give up occupied land as it is now but a signal to retire to bed." (http://www.phrases.org.uk/meanings/58800.html)
"This is a relatively recent phrase and is a commonly used cliche variant of 'beat a retreat'. Many people now would say 'beat a retreat' but originally it was 'beat the retreat'. A retreat wasn't just a generalised withdrawal but a specific military procedure established by the British Army. The signal for this was a pattern of drum beats known as The Retreat. But, a retreat wasn't a signal to fall back and give up occupied land as it is now but a signal to retire to bed." (http://www.phrases.org.uk/meanings/58800.html)
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