【原】beat around the bush，旁敲侧击

达人分享

beat around the bush 原先指捕鸟的时候，有的人负责敲打灌木群来唤醒鸟，其他人负责捕捉，所以这个习语的寓意比较明显，可以意为“声东击西，旁敲侧击，拐弯抹角”，寓意：

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avoid talking about the main topic
避免谈论主要话题
not speaking directly or precisely
不直接或准确地说
avoid the important point
避开重点
approach indirectly
间接接近
in a roundabout way, or too cautiously
以迂回的方式，或者过于谨慎

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speak in a roundabout, indirect or misleading way
以迂回、间接或误导的方式说话
还有一种形式：beat about the bushes，例如：
Will you please stop beating about the bush and get to the point?
请你别拐弯抹角，直截了当地说吧？
解析：stop doing sth 意为“停止做某事”。
When I asked George whether he knew who had taken the files from my desk, he started beating around the bush and refused to give me a direct answer.
当我问乔治是否知道是谁从我桌上拿走文件时，他开始拐弯抹角，拒绝直接回答我。

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Don't beat around the bush and tell me frankly what you think of my proposition.
别拐弯抹角，坦率地告诉我你对我的提议的看法。
I know this discussion is an uncomfortable one, but instead of beating about the bush, let's come to the point and get over with it.
我知道这次讨论很不舒服，但与其拐弯抹角，不如直截了当地说吧。
解析：instead of 后面的动作或是对象是要被替代的，而 instead 后面的是要去做的。
Quit beating around the bush and tell me what you really want.
别拐弯抹角了，告诉我你真正想要什么。

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You will have to learn to speak clearly about what you want. You won't get anywhere if you keep beating around the bush.
你必须学会清楚地说出你想要什么。如果你继续拐弯抹角，就一事无成。
做人要坦率，不要拐弯抹角，待人要真诚，不要试图算计别人，因为那样太累了，而且有可能算来算去算自己。