beat around the bush | beat about the bush Meaning: If you b | Idioms & Phrases

beat around the bush | beat about the bush

Meaning: 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.

For example:

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.

Stop beating about the bush. Just tell me what's happened!