beat down

If the sun does this, it shines strongly and makes everything very hot.

• The sun is beating down.
• We rested indoors while the sun beat down outside.
• The afternoon sun beat down on our bare shoulders.

How to use it: beat down on someone/something (The sun beat down on the empty road.)

Similar words: blaze

Common phrases: beat down fiercely, beat down on someone

Fall from above and hit things hard, especially when talking about rain.

• The rain beat down hard.
• Hail was beating down on the windows.
• We waited under a tree as the rain beat down.

How to use it: beat down on something (Rain beat down on the roof all night.)

Similar words: pelt down, pour down

Common phrases: beat down heavily, beat down on something

Make someone tired, discouraged, or willing to give in through repeated trouble or pressure.

• The daily stress beat her down.
• His endless demands finally beat me down.
• Do not let a few failures beat you down.

How to use it: beat someone down (Years of constant criticism had beaten him down.)

Similar words: wear down, wear out, exhaust

Common phrases: beat down someone, beat someone down

Use force or pressure to make a group or opposing idea less powerful.

• The army beat down the rebellion.
• They used threats to beat down opposition.
• The rulers could not beat down the growing protest movement.

How to use it: beat down something (The authorities tried to beat down all resistance.)

Similar words: suppress, crush, quell

Common phrases: beat down opposition, beat down resistance

Persuade a seller to accept a lower price by arguing about it.

• Try to beat the seller down.
• She beat him down to half the asking price.
• They would not be beaten down any further.

How to use it: beat someone down to an amount (We beat the seller down to fifty euros.)

Similar words: haggle with, bargain with

Common phrases: beat someone down, beat down sellers

Make something fall or collapse by hitting it with great force.

• They beat down the old fence.
• The storm beat down several wooden towers.
• Workers beat the damaged wall down with hammers.

How to use it: beat something down (The soldiers beat the gate down with heavy tools.)

Similar words: knock down, batter down

Common phrases: beat down something, beat down walls