beat the bushes for

beat the bushes (for someone or something)

To search for someone or something exhaustively and at great length. I've been beating the bushes for a bigger apartment, but there's nothing out there I can afford!
See also: beat, bush, someone
Farlex Dictionary of Idioms.

beat the bushes for

Look everywhere for something or someone, as in I've been beating the bushes for a substitute but haven't had any luck. This term originally alluded to hunting, when beaters were hired to flush birds out of the brush. [1400s] Also see beat around the bush.
See also: beat, bush
The American Heritage® Dictionary of Idioms by Christine Ammer.

beat the bushes for, to

To seek out assiduously. The term comes from hunting, in the days when beaters were employed to flush birds out for a hunting party, and has been used in its literal sense since the fifteenth century.
See also: beat, bush
The Dictionary of Clichés by Christine Ammer
See also:
  • beat the bushes
  • beat the bushes (for someone or something)
  • be beating the bushes
  • be beating the bushes (for someone or something)
  • look for (someone or something) high and low
  • look for high and low
  • beat the bushes for, to
  • bag of wind
  • at great length
  • explain
References in periodicals archive
The company invested about $3 million in automated laser cutting machines and press brakes - which bend and fold steel plate up to one inch thick - at a time when business was slow, and then added five new outside sales positions to beat the bushes for clients.
Steel fabrication company adds to Eugene facility
But executives at NBC and ABC threw cold water on the notion that they'll immediately start to beat the bushes for theatrical movies because of the new Saturday slots.
Pix back in networks' sked mix: studios thrilled at prospect of returning to primetime
To beat the bushes for new members, the Guard and Reserves have added 2,200 recruiters.
Army Guard, reserves confront long-term personnel problems
The first year, the ethics committee had to beat the bushes for grant applications.
Grant deadline nears
When I first started in this role I was concerned that I might have to beat the bushes for authors willing to write articles.
Editorial
"I do all I can to beat the bushes for early screening for men," the Spin City actor says.
Barry Bostwick
"The problem is I was let go so late that all the jobs were filled, but Robin will beat the bushes for me," he said.
NHL coach of the year out on his ear (Ted Nolan)
At Worldvision, Burt Cohen, the executive v.p., said that at MIPCOM, Spelling Television, the parent company, is going to aggressively beat the bushes for coproduction partners, partly to meet the problem of deficit financing.
Financing the deficit ain't easy, but producers get creative aid