beat up
To give a hard beating to; hit hard and much; thrash; whip.
When the new boy first came, he had to beat up several neighborhood bullies before they would leave him alone.
Used with on in substandard speech.
The tough boy said to Bill, "If you come around here again, I'll beat up on you."
beaten path
beaten track
The usual route or way of operating that has been conventionally established.
If we always follow the beaten path, we'll never have the courage to try something new.
deadbeat
A person who never pays his debts and who has a way of getting things free that others have to pay for.
You'll never collect from Joe - he's a deadbeat.
hear the beat
see the beat
To hear of or to see someone or something better or surpassing. Usually used in negative or interrogative sentences and often followed by of.
I never heard the beat! John swam all the way across the river. Did you ever hear the beat of it?
The juggler spun a table around on the tip of his finger. I never saw the beat of that.
heart skip a beat
heart miss a beat
The heart leaves out or seems to leave out a beat; the heart beats hard or leaps from excitement or strong feeling. Often considered trite.
When Paul saw the bear standing in front of him, his heart skipped a beat.
To be startled or excited from surprise, joy or fright.
Испугаться или испытать резкое волнение, радость или страх.
When Linda was told that she had won, her heart missed a beat.
When the lights suddenly went out, her heart missed a beat.
Когда вдруг потух свет, ее сердце на секунду остановилось.
jump the gun
beat the gun
To start before the starter's gun in a race.
The runners were called back because one of them jumped the gun.
To start before you should; start before anyone else.
The new students were not supposed to come before noon, but one boy jumped the gun and came to school at eight in the morning.
The students planned to say happy birthday to the principal when the teacher raised her hand, but Sarah jumped the gun and said it when he came into the room.
knock the living daylights out of
knock the stuffing out of
beat the shit out of
To render (someone) unconscious (said in exaggeration).
Лишить мужества; заставить дрожать, трепетать от страха.
The news almost knocked the living daylights out of me.
Traveling by plane always knocks the stuffing out of her.
Она всегда испытывает страх при полете в самолете.
off the beaten track
Not well known or often used; not gone to or seen by many people; unusual.
The theater is off the beaten track.
We are looking for a vacation spot that is off the beaten track.