get a beat on one, besides conveying the idea of obtaining an advantage, also implies that the point has been scored by underhand, secret, or unlawful means.
To beat the booby or goose, phr. (nautical).—To strike the hands across the chest and under the armpits to warm them. Formerly to beat Jonas.
1883. Times, 15 March, p. 9, col. 6. The common labourers at outdoor work were beating goose to drive the blood from their fingers. [m.]
To beat the road, phr. (American).—To travel by rail without paying.—See Dead-heads and To beat, sense 1.
That beat's the Dutch!—See Dutch.
Beat Daddy Mammy (old military).—To
tattoo; to practice the
elements of drum beating.
Beaten Down to Bed-Rock, adv.
phr. (American).—See Bedrock.
Beaten Out, ppl. adj. with adv.
(common).—Impoverished; in
one's last straits; hard up.
1851. Mayhew, London Labour and London Poor, I., p. 351. The beaten out mechanics and artisans, who, from want of employment in their own trade, take to making small things. Ibid, p. 400. The last class of street sellers is the beaten out mechanic or workman.
Beater-Cases, subs. (old).—Boots
or shoes. Nearly obsolete. Trotter-cases
(q.v.) is the usual term
nowadays.—See Beaters.
Beaters, subs. (American).—The
feet. [A transferred sense of
beater, originally signifying
one who 'beat' or walked the
streets. Barclay, in Shyp of
Folys (1509), speaks of 'night
watchers and beters of the
stretes.'] For synonyms, see
Creepers.
Beat the Hoof, verbal phr. (popular).—To
walk; to plod; to
prowl. [From beat, in the
sense of to strike the ground
in walking, etc., + hoof, a
humorous term for the foot.]
To beat the hoof is an older
form of the modern pad the
hoof (q.v.).
1596. Shakspeare, Merry Wives of Windsor, Act i., Sc. 3. Falstaff: Hold, sirrah, [to Robin] bear you these letters tightly; Sail like my pinnace to these golden shores.— Rogues, hence, avaunt! vanish like hailstones, go; Trudge, plod away, o' the hoof; seek shelter, pack!
1691. Wood, Ath. Oxon., II., 412. They all beated it on the hoof to London, [m.]
Beat the Rib.—See Rib.
Beau Trap, subs. (old).—1. A loose
stone in a pavement, under
which water lodges, and which,
on being trodden upon, squirts
it up, to the great damage of
clean clothes.
2. (old.)—Also a well-dressed sharper, on the look out for raw country visitors and such like.
3. (old.)—A fop, well-dressed outwardly indeed, but whose linen, person, and habits generally, are unclean.
Beauty, subs. (American cadet).—A
term applied, on the rule
of contrary, to the plainest or
ugliest cadet in the class at the
United States Military Academy
