Beat is a versatile English word with multiple meanings:
1. To defeat someone in a game or competition: "We beat them 3-0"
2. To hit repeatedly: "Don't beat the dog"
3. The rhythm in music: "Dance to the beat"
4. To mix vigorously: "Beat the eggs"
5. Slang meaning very tired: "I'm beat after work"
6. In journalism, a reporter's regular assignment: "The crime beat"