beats, beat, beaten, beating
to beat back
phrasal verb
To force someone or something to retreat or withdraw
- 1The army managed to beat back the invaders.
- 2The firefighters beat back the flames before they reached the houses.
Imagine pushing someone away to make them go back. To beat back means to make someone or something retreat or go away by using force or strength. It's like pushing them back to make them leave or withdraw from a place.
Be careful not to confuse "beat back" with "beat up." While "beat back" means to force someone or something to retreat, "beat up" means to physically harm or attack someone. Remember the difference to use the phrases correctly.
at a busy shopping center
Crowd Control
Ronald
Wow, it's really crowded here today!
Ashley
Yeah, the security had to beat back the crowd earlier.
Ronald
I guess everyone wants to catch the sales.
Ashley
Definitely, it's the weekend rush.
in a busy meat market
Managing the Morning Rush
Kenneth
The crowd was huge this morning, but we managed to beat back the rush.
Susan
I saw that! You handled it really well.
Kenneth
Thanks, it was all about staying organized and calm.
Susan
It definitely paid off. The customers seemed satisfied.
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Similar to "to beat back":
- 1repel
- 2drive back