Region: UK | Usage example: Stop beating around the bush and tell me what you want.

Beat around the bush

Meaning

Avoid stating something directly.

Common in critiques of evasive speech.

Origin notes can vary by region and source; this page gives the commonly reported explanation and usage context.

Medieval hunting term describing beating around bushes to flush out game.

Frequently seen in 16th-century huntsman manuals and evolving into speech advice.