to pound a beat
- phrasal verb
- Informal
- In the studio, we could hear him pound a beat on the drums with great energy.
Examples
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- Believe me, I'd rather pound a beat.
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Because I was pounding a beat when you were still peeing in your pants.
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If I'm not careful, I’ll be pounding a beat in the Bronx.
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The drummer began to pound a beat that got everyone dancing.
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She likes to pound a beat on her keyboard while writing new songs.
Synonyms
To hit something or someone again and again, making a rhythm
To hit or close something suddenly and loudly
To beat strongly and regularly, like a heart or drum
To make a continuous rhythmic sound by hitting a surface
To keep going despite difficulty or to make a steady sound like rain on a roof
To make strong regular beats you can feel in your chest
To hit something again and again with force, for example when playing an instrument
Make a rhythm by hitting something repeatedly, like a drum
To play a strong, repeated beat by hitting an instrument like a drum
To play music loudly and simply on an instrument
Antonyms
How Emphatic
Surface Forms
Morphology
The verb 'pound' (to strike forcefully) combined with 'a beat' (a rhythm) yields a direct, literal meaning: to strike or play a rhythm with force or emphasis. This is a straightforward verb + noun composition that follows normal English usage, so a B1 learner who knows the constituents can reliably infer the meaning.
Etymology
The phrase pound a beat comes from the image of someone hitting a drum hard: pound shows the force and beat is the steady rhythm. So, it means 'to play a strong, forceful rhythm' that drives the music.