beat around the bush beat a retreat • beat back · · · Info · Definitions · Synonyms · Characters · · beat around the bush · · Text Common · · Latin · · Scripts 20 · · Length 5 · · Syllables Definitions · · · (verb) be deliberately ambiguous or unclear in order to mislead or withhold information. Synonyms: beat around the bush, equivocate, tergiversate, prevaricate, palter. · · Verb Definition 1 Synonyms · · · equivocate · · Synonym 1 tergiversate · · Synonym 2 prevaricate · · Synonym 3 palter · · Synonym 4 Characters · · space U+0020 a latin small letter a U+0061 b latin small letter b U+0062 d latin small letter d U+0064 e latin small letter e U+0065 h latin small letter h U+0068 n latin small letter n U+006E o latin small letter o U+006F r latin small letter r U+0072 s latin small letter s U+0073 t latin small letter t U+0074 u latin small letter u U+0075