Beat about the bush

　　说话兜圈子

　　“说话兜圈子”意指“说话拐弯抹角”或不能“直来直去”。可以用beat about (around) the bush来表示。此语直译为“在灌木丛中胡乱拍打”，意思就是“旁敲侧击”或“兜圈子”

　　例如：Stop beating about the bush. Just tell me what you want!

　　再看下面对话：

　　Samy: I…er…I want to ask you something.

　　Truman: Say what you want to say.

　　Samy: I…er…You see. The wage is not paid yet, I have a big family to raise.

　　Truman: Yes. What else?

　　Samy: last night my wife warned me that if I refused to hold a birthday party for her, she would kick me out of the bed. And my son told me that if I did not buy a mini car to him, he would no longer call me“dad”.

　　Truman: listen, samy. Stop beating about the bush. Say what you really want!

　　Samy: I am wondering if you could possibly lend me some money.

　　Truman: I am sorry. Samy. I am indeed very sorry. But I do not have any money to lend to you.