beating-up

[ bee-ting-uhp ]

noun

1. a severe thrashing administered for intimidation or revenge.
2. Textiles. the process by which the loose pick is made an integral part of the woven material.

Word History and Origins

Origin of beating-up¹

First recorded in 1945–50

Example Sentences

Finally, they said, a superhero film unapologetic about female empowerment, a film where the woman is the one doing the rescuing and the strategising and the beating-up.

From Economist

As a result, moderate mainstream Muslims have been put in a dreadful position, with raucous elements of the media and the population beating-up the unrest.

From The Guardian

Games in which English sides set about big-name opposition with frantic, focused fury from the very first minute and distributing not just a beating-up, but a beating-down.

From The Guardian

“It’s not a complete beating-up session, but Germany is the recipient of fairly caustic criticism from other members of the G-20,” Rob Carnell, chief international economist at ING Bank NV in London, said by telephone.

From BusinessWeek

There is just so much top-down beating-up that can go on before teachers and principals rise up in protest, especially when so many at the top are not educators.

From Washington Post