to beat the band

Idioms and Phrases

Also, to beat all . To the greatest possible degree. For example, The baby was crying to beat the band , or The wind is blowing to beat the band , or John is dressed up to beat all . This idiom uses beat in the sense of “surpass.” The first term may, according to one theory, allude to a desire to arrive before the musicians who led a parade, so as to see the entire event. Another theory holds that it means “make more noise than (and thereby beat) a loud band.” [ Colloquial ; late 1800s]