Inf. I do not know the answer.; I cannot figure it out. The question has me stumped. (The stress is on me.)Bill: When are we supposed to go over to Tom's? Bill: Beats me.Sally: What's the largest river in the world? Bob: You got me beat.
I do not know or understand It beats me how he managed to survive for three weeks alone in the mountains.
Usage notes: often said in answer to a question: a€?How should we explain this?a€? a€?Beats me.a€? sometimes used in the form beats the hell out of me: So why am I waiting in line to get into this movie? Beats the hell out of me.
something that you say when you cannot understand something (often + question word) It beats me how he managed to survive for three weeks alone in the mountains. (informal)
This baffles or puzzles me, as in I don't know how he does it-beats me! This term originally may have alluded to a winning poker hand. It may also be related to the even earlier usage of beat for "astonished" or "at a loss." [Slang; mid-1800s]