beat around the bush | beat about the bush
This page is about the idiom beat around the bush | beat about the bush
Meaning
If you beat around the bush, or beat about the bush, you don't say something directly, usually because you don't want to upset the person you're talking to.
For example
- I had trouble telling Pedro he'd lost his job. I started beating around the bush and talking about one door closing and another door opening.
- Stop beating about the bush. Just tell me what's happened!
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Contributor: Matt Errey