beating around
- bushMulti-stemmed woody plant
- hedgingNoncommittal maneuvering
- evasiveAvoiding direct response
- skirtingAvoiding by going around
- dodgingAvoiding by moving aside
circling · indirect · avoiding · dancing · tiptoeing · hesitant · vague · stalling · delaying · meandering · roundabout · circumlocution · waffling · sidestepping · deflecting · hinting · coy · elusive
- evasionevasion, avoiding, avoids, evade, dodging
- tactdiscretion, diplomacy, delicacy, politeness, courtesy
directness of communication
beating aroundgetting to the point
Stating the essence plainly
cutting to the chase · telling it like it is · calling a spade a spade · speaking frankly · speaking one's mind