IdiomDaily Life
English
Englishbeat the drum for something
Meaning: To promote something loudly and publicly.
Example: “The mayor has been beating the drum for the new library all year.”
Origin: Drums once announced proclamations and drew a crowd for a fair or a recruiting sergeant. The figurative use is recorded from the 19th century.
Equivalents in other languages
Italian: battere la grancassa Literally: To beat the big drum
More English idioms
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