beat around the bush

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Related to beat around the bush: ring hollow

beat around the bush

To fail to come to the important point about something; from the idea of a hunted animal hiding in a bush while the hunter is too timorous to follow it in there.

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Verb

beat around the bush - be deliberately ambiguous or unclear in order to mislead or withhold information

equivocate, palter, prevaricate, tergiversate

misinform, mislead - give false or misleading information to

Translations

kerülgeti, mint macska a forró kását

menare il can per l'aia

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References in periodicals archive ?

Let us not beat around the bush and deal with Toxicistan on our terms.

Be clear- headed on Toxicistan

"I am not one of those who beat around the bush. I also played a bad shot.

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LET'S not beat around the bush, the results of the Welsh regions so far in Europe have been truly awful.

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"If I have a problem with you, I'll tell you to your face." If I don't like someone, I'll beat around the bush.

Luke Bilyk

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A number of times I was taken into a room at the training ground and told to talk to supporters who would not beat around the bush if things weren't going well.

Marseille will loveJ oey ifh e knucklesd own

"I'm not going to beat around the bush. Our defence was not good enough," Blanc told reporters.

Blanc's defensive blast

And when he retired from Test cricket, he didn't beat around the bush for a reason - "I can't see the ball," he said.

Mark of greatness

The 30-year-old star did not beat around the bush when asked by Playboy magazine if he enjoyed weed.

Justin's hooked on pot

Sometimes they beat around the bush so much, to a point where I'd rather read two lines on Twitter and I understand the whole article," she said.

Traditional media needs to adapt to new trends

"I can't beat around the bush - the last few months have been disappointing on my personal form.

Colly can't wait for England return; CRICKET

''Elements stuck in this regime know that they can no longer beat around the bush,'' he said.