From Longman Dictionary of Contemporary Englishbeat about/around the bushbeat about/around the bushDELAYto avoid or delay talking about something embarrassing or unpleasant Don’t beat around the bush. Ask for your account to be paid, and paid quickly. → beat
Examples from the Corpus
beat about/around the bush• Don't beat about the bush.• Eliot did not beat about the bush.• I am not a person to beat about the bush.• I meant to be open with him but when it came to it I beat about the bush.• Let us stop beating about the bush.• She winced at their infelicities, at the clumsy way they beat about the bush.• No need to beat about the bush sweetie. 