beating

plural beatings

1. countableuncountableThe action by which someone or something is beaten.

   the beating of a drum

   5 more examples

   secret beatings of prisoners

   […] to support or agree with the persecutions, beatings, dehumanizings, insults, murders, genocides, and oppressions of a perpetrator's target […]

   2008, M. W. Sphero, Religion: The Defamer of God, page 210

   “It was one of the most severe beatings they’ve seen on tape,” an FDNY insider said, recalling the reaction by brass who viewed video of the bloody fisticuffs.

   2018 August 18, Susan Edelman, New York Post

   The fight is not all one-sided. Lion is taking a savage beating as the two flagships trade body blows almost independent of the furious carronade going on behind them.

   2018 October 17, Drachinifel, 14:13 from the start, in Last Ride of the High Seas Fleet - Battle of Texel 1918, archived from the original on 04 Aug 2022

   Human rights organisations say many experience imprisonment and beatings along the way.

   2023 August 21, Paul Adams, “Hundreds of migrants killed by Saudi border guards - report”, in BBC, archived from the original on 03 Feb 2024

2. countableuncountableA heavy defeat or setback.

   To increase United's pain, this was their first home defeat in any competition since April 2010, when they lost to Chelsea - but even that defeat, which effectively cost them the title, may not turn out to have the same long-term significance as this heavy beating.

   2011 October 23, Phil McNulty, “Man Utd 1 - 6 Man City”, in BBC Sport, archived from the original on 29 Jul 2012

3. countableuncountableThe pulsation of the heart.

1. gerundparticiplepresentpresent participle and gerund of beat