| Idiom | Beat the Band |
|---|---|
| Example | When my sister told us that she was marrying Malcolm, everyone cheered to beat the band. |
| Meaning | with much noise, excitement, or commotion; very much, very fast; outdoing all others |
| Origin | This saying started in the late 1800s in Britain and then traveled across the Atlantic Ocean to the United States. One explanation of its origin is that since a band is usually loud, exciting, and colorful, anything that "beats the band" must be louder, more exciting, and more colorful. The other explanation is that people sometimes run ahead of a marching band to beat it to a certain spot. This idiom can also be used to express amazement for any astonishing achievement, as in "She can drive the tractor and she's only eight years old. If that doesn't beat the band!" |
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