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beat the bushes

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beat the bushes

to search everywhere for someone or something We don't have to beat the bushes to get good photographs - they mostly come to us from photographers we know.

Etymology: based on the practice in hunting of having someone hit bushes with a stick in order to force birds hiding in them to fly up into the air to be shot

See also: beat, bush

beat the bushes

  (American)

to try very hard to get or achieve something She's not out there beating the bushes for a job - she's just as happy not working.

See also: beat, bush

beat the bushes

To make an exhaustive search.

See also: beat, bush