Advertisement
Advertisement
beat back
Idioms and Phrases
Force to retreat or withdraw, as in His findings beat back all their arguments to the contrary . This phrase was often used in a military context (and still is), as in Their armies were beaten back . [Late 1500s]Example Sentences
It was forbidden to be eaten, and seen as having powers that beat back “demons and sorcerers” as well as “misfortune.”
The Oregon Democrat shares his plans to beat back Big Brother with his libertarian Kentucky colleague.
But she beat back a primary challenger handily—with some outside support.
A similar dynamic unfolded in 2000, when Al Gore needed everything to beat back Bill Bradley in New York.
On November 19, the White House was able to beat back the Ayotte amendment.
Presently he came across the street and walked alongside of me awhile as I paced my beat back and forth.
Though outnumbered seven to one they beat back four assaults in the course of seven days.
He tried to beat back his grief, but presently tears rolled out of his eyes.
They followed him, and for a while, at least, beat back the enemy with their curtle-axes.
Many times did the strange warriors try to beat back our men, and as many times did they fail.
Advertisement
Definitions and idiom definitions from Dictionary.com Unabridged, based on the Random House Unabridged Dictionary, © Random House, Inc. 2023
Idioms from The American Heritage® Idioms Dictionary copyright © 2002, 2001, 1995 by Houghton Mifflin Harcourt Publishing Company. Published by Houghton Mifflin Harcourt Publishing Company.
Advertisement
Advertisement
Advertisement
Browse