retreat Idiom, Proverb
beat a hasty retreat
run away from, leave quickly When the boys heard the siren they beat a hasty retreat.
beat a retreat|beat|retreat
v. phr. 1. To give a signal, esp. by beating a drum, to go back.
The Redcoats' drums were beating a retreat. 2. To run away.
They beat a retreat when they saw that they were too few. The cat beat a hasty retreat when he saw the dog coming. Compare: BACK DOWN, FALL BACK.
beat a retreat
beat a retreat Also,
beat a hasty retreat. Reverse course or withdraw, usually quickly. For example,
I really don't want to run into Jeff—let's beat a retreat. This term originally (1300s) referred to the military practice of sounding drums to call back troops. Today it is used only figuratively, as in the example above.
retreat
retreat see
beat a retreat.