beat a hasty retreat

Related to beat a hasty retreat: beat out, beat the pants off, beats me

beat a (hasty) retreat

To leave a place or situation quickly. I beat a hasty retreat when I saw my ex-boyfriend walk into the party. When the rain started, everyone on the field beat a retreat indoors.
See also: beat, retreat
Farlex Dictionary of Idioms.

beat a hasty retreat

If you beat a hasty retreat, you leave a place quickly in order to avoid an embarrassing or dangerous situation. Cockburn decided it was time to beat a hasty retreat. Note: People sometimes just say that someone beats a retreat. I can still beat a retreat to my own hotel, and pretend that none of this ever happened. Note: Other adjectives such as quick and rapid are sometimes used instead of hasty. You weren't tempted to change your mind and beat a quick retreat?
See also: beat, hasty, retreat
Collins COBUILD Idioms Dictionary, 3rd ed.

beat a hasty retreat

withdraw, typically in order to avoid something unpleasant.
In former times, a drumbeat could be used to keep soldiers in step while they were retreating.
See also: beat, hasty, retreat
Farlex Partner Idioms Dictionary
See also:
  • beat a (hasty) retreat
  • beat a retreat
  • hasty
  • retreat
  • beat a (hasty/quick) retreat, to
  • go hell for leather
  • hell for leather
  • hell-bent for leather
  • absent (oneself) from
  • have a run-in with somebody
References in periodicals archive
HAVING so far been blessed with plenty of sunshine in southern Austria, the Sky Blues had to beat a hasty retreat after an electric storm cut short Wednesday afternoon's shape session.
Andy Turner's Austria Diary
22 when it had to beat a hasty retreat and had to withdraw the Draft National Encryption Policy after an uproar by the opposition which accused the government of an attack on personal freedom.
Modi's popularity on the wane
However, the celebrities had to beat a hasty retreat after journalists started asking pointed questions.
BOLLYWOOD BATS FOR SUBRATA
"Shocked by what he had seen, Mr Barker beat a hasty retreat and waited outside for the ambulance and police to arrive."
Landlord killed in frenzied knife attack
After a barrage of questions from one of them, Annie Kohli, Kejriwal beat a hasty retreat, only to come out later and rubbish her questions.
Ex-IAC activist Annie Kohli gets an apology from Kejriwal after protest
He may, of course, be married (or in a steady relationship) and when you stumbled into his local pub where he is known, he felt he had no option but to beat a hasty retreat!
Gym pal snubbed me in the pub; ask Anna The answer to your problems
The mother is then seen carrying away the whimpering cub in her mouth as the three bears beat a hasty retreat from Havard's backyard.
Footage of bear trying to release cub from net
US wildlife photographer Steve Kaslowski, 40, from Seattle, was forced to beat a hasty retreat when this female bear took a close interest during an expedition to Norway's remote Svalbard archipelago in August.
TIME TO GET OUT OF BEAR
A POLITICIAN beat a hasty retreat from an election rally - after realising he was accidentally addressing a crowd of his main opponents.
Minister flees rally blunder
DRUMMERS forced to beat a hasty retreat after complaints about noise will soon be back in business.
Drumming up plan to keep peace; LIVELY COMMUNITY CENTRE TO BE SOUND-PROOFED
For your own self-preservation you need to beat a hasty retreat and don't go back or look back.
Escaping the flames; Yve ASK THE ECHO'S VERY OWN CLAIRVOYANT
"The builders who saw what happened were very angry and the warden beat a hasty retreat.
WALES: No refund for car an inch over the line