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12-05-2010, 09:18 AM
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Distinguished Guest
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Join Date: Apr 2000
Location: Belmont MA
Posts: 4,802
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Calling my British friends...
...for some help resolving a collegial debate.
The colloquial phrase "beat the heat" is familiar to most Americans. I have found quite a few examples of the phrase in the UK on Google, but I'm trying to address concern that it might not be familiar to British readers.
What can you tell me?
Thanks!
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12-05-2010, 10:33 AM
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Member
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Join Date: May 2001
Location: Yorkshire, UK
Posts: 2,482
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“Beat the heat”? That’s not one I’ve come across, Mike. Of course, others over here may have done.
Best...
Clive
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12-05-2010, 10:45 AM
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Join Date: Aug 2007
Location: United Kingdom
Posts: 12,945
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Never heard of it. What does it mean?
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12-05-2010, 10:52 AM
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Administrator
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Join Date: Jan 2010
Location: Middle England
Posts: 6,955
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Hi Michael,
I've never heard or seen that one. I asked my daughter, who's 24 (just in case it was an 'age' thing) and she hasn't either; she wants to know what it means! So do I, please 
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12-05-2010, 11:00 AM
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Join Date: Feb 2009
Location: Old South Wales (UK)
Posts: 6,682
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Another vote for "Huh?"
Last edited by Ann Drysdale; 12-05-2010 at 11:04 AM.
Reason: Deleted an allusion that threatened to lower the tone of the debate.
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12-05-2010, 11:57 AM
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Join Date: Sep 2006
Location: UK
Posts: 3,954
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"Huh" plus one. Intrigued.
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12-05-2010, 11:59 AM
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Join Date: Mar 2009
Location: Stocksbridge. Near the Dark Peak.
Posts: 1,524
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El Hombre Invisible.
"I can feel the heat closing in, feel them out there making their moves..." Opening words of The Naked Lunch. I've always thought of "the heat" and "beat the heat" as 50's American gangster/ beat argot for cops/ evading detection by the cops.
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12-05-2010, 12:35 PM
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Join Date: Feb 2006
Location: Saint Paul, MN
Posts: 9,656
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This American only knows the phrase "beat the heat" as relating to actual high temperatures and meaning "get relief from hot, humid conditions associated with summer." But by itself "the heat" can mean the police, as Steve B. says.
Michael, are you asking about the heat-related meaning or the police-related one?
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12-05-2010, 01:06 PM
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Join Date: Apr 2000
Location: Belmont MA
Posts: 4,802
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The former. I've never seen it used with respect to law enforcement.
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12-05-2010, 01:23 PM
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Join Date: Feb 2007
Location: Northern New Jersey
Posts: 8,930
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I think it is from a Coca Cola advertisement, originally. So much for American cultural hegemony.
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