Why "beat around the bush?"

Question

I personally find the term "beat around the bush weird", where did it originate from?

I have not heard this with "build" in place of "beat". – GEdgar Oct 02 '13 at 13:15 — GEdgar, Oct 02 '13 at 13:15

score 3 · Answer 1 · answered Oct 02 '13 at 13:16

3

Beaters are servants employed to flush out game birds to be shot. There's an early example cited here http://www.phrases.org.uk/meanings/beat-around-the-bush.html

"He bet about the bush, whyles other caught the birds." (George Gascoigne's Works, 1572)

answered Oct 02 '13 at 13:16

So 'beating around the bush' had a purpose to it. How did it come to mean avoid coming to the point? – user49727 Oct 02 '13 at 13:23

1 Answers1