Beat Around the Bush

Beat Around the Bush

Welcome to English in a Minute!

Sometimes it’s hard to communicate clearly and directly.

Hmmm…..

Let’s hope Anna and Jonathan are extra clear about what this means.

I have news.

Okay. What is it?

You can’t tell anyone else.

Okay.

And you have to still be my friend!

Of course…

Anna, stop beating around the bush.

And tell me what it is.

Okay.

I got a job offer.

If you “beat around the bush,” you do whatever you can to avoid saying something.

In medieval times, hunting groups used sticks to beat around bushes.

But they wouldn’t directly hit the bushes because they didn’t know what else might be in there.

And that’s English in a Minute!