beaten around the bush

Verb

beat around the bush (third-person singular simple present beats around the bush, present participle beating around the bush, simple past beat around the bush or (nonstandard) beated around the bush, past participle beaten around the bush or (colloquial) beat around the bush or (nonstandard) beated around the bush)

1. (idiomatic) To treat a topic, but omit its main points, often intentionally.
2. (idiomatic) To delay or avoid talking about something difficult or unpleasant.
   • Just stop beating around the bush and tell me what the problem is!

   Synonyms:

   go around the houses, prevaricate, pussyfoot, ramble, tergiversate, waffle

   Antonyms:

   cut to the chase, get on with, get to the point