beat around the bush

• beat about the bush

From the older form beat about the bush, replacing the preposition.

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beat around the bush (third-person singular simple present beats around the bush, present participle beating around the bush, simple past and past participle beaten around the bush)

1. (idiomatic) To treat a topic, but omit its main points, often intentionally.
2. (idiomatic) To delay or avoid talking about something difficult or unpleasant.

   Synonyms: go around the houses, prevaricate, pussyfoot, ramble, tergiversate, waffle

   Antonyms: cut to the chase, get on with it, get to the point

   Just stop beating around the bush and tell me what the problem is!

   • 1870, Horatio Alger, Rufus and Rose‎^[1]:

     "Look here," said Smith, menacingly, "if you think I cheated you, you might as well say so right out. I don't like beating around the bush."

• circumlocute
• hem and haw

• beat the bushes

• long-winded