Beating Around the Bush – Meaning, Origin & Usage
Sometimes, someone will initiate a conversation by declaring that they are not going to ‘beat around the bush’. In case you don’t already know what this phrase means, this article is going to explain it all…
Here, we will cover what it means, how the phrase originated, and how to use the phrase in everyday conversation, with a few examples thrown in. Finally, we’ll round off with similar expressions that can often be used in its place. Let’s get straight to it!
What does the phrase ‘beating around the bush’ mean?
The idiom “beating around the bush” refers to avoiding getting directly to the point of a conversation, often by using evasive language, or talking about unimportant details or deliberately being vague.
The historical origins of the phrase ‘beating around the bush’
The precise initial coining of the term ‘beating around the bush’ is not known, though it is suspected that it dates back to at least the early 16th century.
It is believed to derive from the sport of hunting, where hunters once hired beaters who
‘started’ birds and other game for them by beating the bush they are in and scaring them out into the open.
This is not a particularly straight forward or immediate technique, thus the phrases’ use to refer to going about things in a prolonged, roundabout way.
How to use the phrase ‘beating around the bush’ in conversation
You can use the phrases ‘beating around the bush’ and ‘beat around the bush’ whenever you want to refer to someone going the long way around to get to the crux of a matter, or the issue at hand. Here are some examples of the phrases in use:
- Stop beating around the bush. What have I done wrong?
- I’m not going to beat around the bush, I will tell you straight. You need to change your behaviour.
- I want to get to the bottom of the matter, but whenever I try to bring it up, he just starts beating around the bush.
- Don’t beat around the bush, I want to know now. Is the answer yes or no.
Similar expressions to ‘beating around the bush’
Here are some synonymous and alternative words and phrases that can often be used in place of ‘beating around the bush’:
- Waffling
- Pussy-footing
- Being evasive
- Giving someone the runaround
- Speaking indirectly
- Sidestepping
- Hedging
- Hemming and hawing
- Straddling the fence
- Skirting the issue
- Dodging the issue
Final word
The phrase “beating around the bush” is an idiom that refers to avoiding getting directly to the point of a conversation. The precise origin of the term is unknown but we do know that it comes from when beaters were paid to beat around a bush in order to scare birds and other game out of the bush ready for them to be hunted. It dates back to at least the 16th century. Today, there are several synonymous and alternative words and phrases that can be used in its place.
