in a general signification, signifies to chastise, strike, knock, or vanquish.

This word has several other significations in the manufactures, and in the arts and trades. Sometimes it signifies to forge and hammer; in which sense smiths and farriers say, to beat iron. Sometimes it means to pound, to reduce into powder: thus we say, to beat drugs, to beat pepper, to beat spices; that is to say, to pulverize them.

fencing, denotes a blow or stroke given with the sword. There are two kinds of beats; the first performed with the foible of a man's sword on the foible of his adversary's, which in the schools is commonly called baterie, from the French batre, and is chiefly used in a pursuit, to make an open upon the adversary. The second and best kind of beat is performed with the fort of a man's sword upon the foible of his adversary's, not with a spring, as in binding, but with a jerk or dry beat; and is therefore most proper for the parades without or within the sword, because of the rebound a man's sword has thereby from his adversary's, whereby he procures to himself the better and surer opportunity of riposting.

the manege. A horse is said to beat the dust, when at each stroke or motion he does not take in ground or way enough with his fore-legs. He is more particularly said to beat the dust at terra à terra, when he does not take in ground enough with his shoulders, making his strokes or motions too short, as if he made them all in one place. He beats the dust at curves, when he does them too precipitately and too low. He beats upon a walk, when he walks too short, and thus rids but little ground, whether it be in straight lines, rounds, or passings.

BEAT of Drum, in the military art, is to give notice by beat of drum of a sudden danger; or, that scattered soldiers may repair to their arms and quarters, is to beat an alarm, or to arms. Also to signify, by different manners of sounding a drum, that the soldiers are to fall on the enemy: to retreat before, in, or after, an attack; to move or march from one place to another; to permit the soldiers to come out of their quarters at break of day; to order to repair to their colours, &c. is to beat a charge, a retreat, a march, &c.

in clock-making. See BEATS.

St., a town of France, in the county of Comminges, at the confluence of the Garonne and the Pique. It is leated between two mountains which are close to the town on each side. The houses are chiefly built with marble. W. Long. 1. 6. N. Lat. 42. 50.