- 1[countable] a single blow to something, such as a drum, or a movement of something, such as your heart; the sound that this makes several loud beats on the drum His heart skipped a beat when he saw her.
- 2[singular] a series of regular blows to something, such as a drum; the sound that this makes the steady beat of the drums see also heartbeat
- 3[countable] the main rhythm, or a unit of rhythm, in a piece of music, a poem, etc. This type of music has a strong beat to it. The piece has four beats to the bar. Pause for two beats and then repeat the chorus. of police officer
- 4[countable] the area which a police officer walks around regularly and which he or she is responsible for More police officers out on the beat may help to cut crime. Idioms
of drums/heart/wings
used to say that someone has a sudden feeling of fear, excitement, etc. My heart skipped a beat when I saw who it was.
to behave in a different way from other people; to have different attitudes or ideas She was a gifted and original artist who marched to a different drummer.
to do something or continue doing something without showing surprise or shock Despite the unexpected remark, she continued her speech without missing a beat.
(of police officers) to walk around the area that they are responsible for
Check pronunciation: beat