July 13 - July 19 Word of the Week: beat

July 13 - July 19 Word of the Week

beat

Definition according to the Dictionary of Newfoundland English:

beat v Cp OED ~ v1 19 naut 'to strive against contrary winds or currents at sea' for sense 1; 3: beat the streets (1375-1587), EDD v2 1 (6) So D for phr in sense 2. 1 Of a herd of animals, esp seals, to move instinctively in a certain direction; to migrate.

1866 WILSON 316 In the autumn, or near winter, [the deer] migrate, or, as the hunters say, they 'beat to the south,' and go near Cape Ray or the Bay of St George.

1924 ENGLAND 239 Wary at last, beating north and ever northward, the vast herd—decimated but still incredibly numerous—is on the trek to the far places where men cannot pursue.

1947 TANNER 493 The mother at last forces the remaining pups to take to the water, a mysterious instinct at once teaches them to go north, and by the end of May these 'beating seals' have mostly passed along the Labrador coast. P 102-60 [They have] fresh seal meat, as early in May the seals beating their way north from the Gulf would trim the shore.

2 Phr beat the paths/streets/roads:to be out at night. P 97-66 You're beating the paths again!

1972 MURRAY 157 Decent girls did not 'beat the roads' till 'all hours of the night.' bet/beaten to a snot: completely exhausted. 1970 Evening Telegram 17 July, p. 2 I'm fair bet to a snot.

And from the online Supplement:

beat v

1 1985 Canadian Sealers Association 6 'After the young seals become 6 to 8 weeks old, they start their journey north, which is known as beating their way north.'

2 Phr 1977 MOAKLER 138 We pulled our dory, sleeping as we rowed/...The sunset found us chilled and be't to snots.

1987 KIMIECIK 99 '"On the roads," "beating the paths," "on the prowl," all describe the custom of just going out and walking around, at night, either with a girl or looking for one.'

Now, we invite u to RELiVE, REMEMBER and REFRESH iT and/or even REDEFiNE iT!

The main thing is to RELiSH iT.

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The word of the week is released each Sunday morning on the Newfoundland and Labrador CBC Radio program Weekend Arts Magazine with host Angela Antle.