a beating

a beating

1. A physical attack involving severe or repeated striking. The captain of the football team swore he'll give me a beating if he catches me talking to his girlfriend again.
2. A decisive loss. We sure took a beating tonight—12-1.
3. A serious setback. Thanks to the recession, our business has taken a real beating.
See also: beating
Farlex Dictionary of Idioms.
See also:
  • (with)in striking distance
  • striking
  • swear (one) to secrecy
  • swear somebody to secrecy
  • swore
  • fall about
  • fall about laughing
  • draw
  • draw (someone or something) out of (someone or something)
  • draw out of some place
References in classic literature
Beauty Smith gave him a beating. Tied securely, White Fang could only rage futilely and endure the punishment.
White Fang
White folks killed people right off in them days, and folks would rather they child or somebody get a beating than a hanging or a lynching.
In the Family