"Beat Around the Bush"

[Bernard W. Kane]

Sorry the writer had only a condensed version, but I must rise to the
defense of my slang guru, Dr Robert L. Chapman and his Dictionary of
American Slang: the 3rd edition (unabridged) shows (on p. 22 col. 2) "beat
around (or about) the bush v phr middle 1500s To avoid speaking directly and
precisely; evade; tergiversate." (Earlier edition gives substantially the
same definition.)

Bernie Kane
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