Beat back
The following is an excerpt from a Washington Post article:
LONDON — For centuries, this modest little island in the North Sea has punched well above its weight on the international stage: It built a global empire, beat back the Nazi tide and stood shoulder to shoulder with the United States during a decades-long standoff with the Soviets.
My questions are these:
1) Why is it "beat back" and not just "beat"?
2) Why is it "a decades-long standoff" and not "a deacade-long standoff"?
Thank you.
Top answer
teal lime 1) Why is it "beat back" and not just "beat"? They have different meanings. teal lime 2) Why is it "a decades-long standoff" and not "a decade-long standoff"?
- teal lime 1) Why is it "beat back" and not just "beat"?
- They have different meanings.
- teal lime 2) Why is it "a decades-long standoff" and not "a decade-long standoff"?
- Presumably because more than one decade is involved.
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teal lime1) Why is it "beat back" and not just "beat"?
They have different meanings.
teal lime2) Why is it "a decades-long standoff" and not "a decade-long standoff"?
Presumably because more than one decade is involved.
01) Why is it "beat back" and not just "beat"?
beat defeat
beat back force to retreat
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