One of the mysteries of the English language finally explained.
Anticipate or forestall someone's actions.‘he was driven on by the fear that someone might beat him to the punch in documenting the movement’
- ‘You get a story and you want to go with it before somebody else beats you to the punch, so sometimes it doesn't get checked as thoroughly.’
- ‘In case they hadn't noticed, Ordnance Survey beat them to the punch.’
- ‘But once more a Midway forward beat him to the punch.’
- ‘I am about to share this theory with Byatt, but she beats me to the punch, with yet another theory of her own.’
- ‘Should we really believe that David floated this story without further confirmation because he was concerned that John might beat him to the punch?’
- ‘They may also be haunted by the fear that someone else will be thinking along similar lines and may beat them to the punch.’
- ‘We beat Ron to the punch and tell the others before we tell him.’
- ‘Olivia was a contender, but my brother and sister-in-law beat me to the punch.’
- ‘He beat me to the punch by a full half-hour - and I work with the attorney for one of the parties!’
- ‘Elliot's high school prom has him missing the chance to dance with the girl with the broken leg; he is beaten to the punch by a more courageous guy.’
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