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What does beat around the bush mean?

Looking for the meaning or definition of the word beat around the bush? Here's what it means.

Verb
  1. (idiomatic) To treat a topic, but omit its main points, often intentionally.
  2. (idiomatic) To delay or avoid talking about something difficult or unpleasant.
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Examples
They prefer to try to beat around the bush and cultivate an image that can be read more than one way.
That's all right, when a man becomes a conductor, and wants to join elsewhere, why, let him, but let him come out like a man and say so, and not beat around the bush.
He is the man of his community to be looked upon for knowledge in severe cases, and those fellows that beat around the bush will be after his services, and at the same time envy his position.
The modern tendency of teachers is to beat around the bush and write "unco-operative" when they really mean insolent, lazy, and addicted to guerilla-type behaviour.
We hem and haw, guess and beat around the bush, so that after we have finished telling the patient, he knows about as much as he did before we started.
Lloyd was in no mood to beat around the bush, and so put direct the question he wished answered.

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