beat around the bush 和 beat about the bush 是“拐彎抹角”，“旁敲側擊” 或 “說話繞圈子”的意思。beat是“拍打”，bush是“灌木叢”，around 和 about 都是“四周”的意思。據(jù)說從前英國貴族打獵時，會先派人進樹林，用樹枝敲打樹，好讓鳥類或小動物因受驚嚇而跑出。后來 beat around the bush 演變成“拐彎抹角”、“旁敲側擊”或“說話繞圈子”等意。

English Club 給出的注釋是：If you beat around the bush, or beat about the bush, you don't say something directly, usually because you don't want to upset the person you're talking to.

例句：

1）I had trouble telling Pedro he'd lost his job. I started beating around the bush and talking about one door closing and another door opening.

佩德羅丟了工作，告訴他我怕會有麻煩,于是我開始拐彎抹角說一扇門關閉了另一扇門就會打開。

2）Stop beating about the bush. Just tell me what has happened.

別兜圈子了，快告訴我們發(fā)生什么事了。