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then beat a hasty retreat

English translation: quickly withdrew

13:30 Sep 18, 2006
English language (monolingual) [PRO]
Bus/Financial - Management / merger
English term or phrase: then beat a hasty retreat
In each of these waves, management teams (and the investors who stood behind them) chased opportunity recklessly, then beat a hasty retreat from M&A arena when their bad deals started to come undone.
alen botica (X)
Local time: 16:30
Selected answer:quickly withdrew
Explanation:
ran away, in other words
Selected response from:

Konstantin Kisin
United Kingdom
Local time: 15:30
Grading comment
thx
4 KudoZ points were awarded for this answer



SUMMARY OF ALL EXPLANATIONS PROVIDED
5 +12quickly withdrew
Konstantin Kisin
5 +5fled [from mergers and acquisitions]
Marian Greenfield
3quit that arena in panic
sergey (X)


  

Answers


2 mins   confidence: Answerer confidence 5/5 peer agreement (net): +12
quickly withdrew


Explanation:
ran away, in other words

Konstantin Kisin
United Kingdom
Local time: 15:30
Specializes in field
Native speaker of: Native in EnglishEnglish, Native in RussianRussian
PRO pts in category: 8
Grading comment
thx

Peer comments on this answer (and responses from the answerer)
agree  NancyLynn
0 min
agree  Marie-Hélène Hayles
0 min
agree  David Hollywood: spot on :)
4 mins
agree  Tatiana Nero (X)
5 mins
agree  Alexander Demyanov
8 mins
agree  Alison Jenner
10 mins
agree  Jack Doughty
16 mins
agree  Robert Fox
17 mins
agree  Suzan Hamer
40 mins
agree  Alfa Trans (X)
48 mins
agree  Sophia Finos (X)
6 hrs
agree  Alexandra Tussing
12 hrs
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3 mins   confidence: Answerer confidence 5/5 peer agreement (net): +5
fled [from mergers and acquisitions]


Explanation:
it's a military metaphor... charge and then retreat

Marian Greenfield
Local time: 10:30
Specializes in field
Native speaker of: Native in EnglishEnglish
PRO pts in category: 20
Notes to answerer
Asker: i hate military terms especially when they're used in civil sciences... i think we're gonna wait for 50 years the military to abolish itself if we're lucky... well that is just my heart's opinion... thank you for the answer btw...


Peer comments on this answer (and responses from the answerer)
agree  David Hollywood: "fled" gets it nicely too :)
4 mins
  -> Thanks David.
agree  maryrose: Yes, the signal to retreat from battle was "beaten" by the drummer/s, so the meaning has shifted in colloquial usage to signify the actual retreat, rather than the beating.
6 mins
  -> thanks... hadn't thought about the history of the term... LOVE IT!
agree  Charlesp
51 mins
  -> thanks
agree  JaneTranslates: Or "high-tailed it," switching from battlefield to hunting grounds.
3 hrs
agree  Alexandra Tussing
12 hrs
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3 mins   confidence: Answerer confidence 3/5Answerer confidence 3/5
quit that arena in panic


Explanation:
.

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Note added at 9 mins (2006-09-18 13:39:38 GMT)
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beat it - for example - means
leave :
now beat it, will you!

--------------------------------------------------
Note added at 16 mins (2006-09-18 13:46:05 GMT)
--------------------------------------------------

to david: panic - certainly suggests a degree of haste:

panic 1 |ˈpanik| |ˌpønɪk| |ˌpanɪk|
noun
• widespread financial or commercial apprehension provoking hasty action : he caused an economic panic by his sudden resignation | [as adj. ] panic selling.
• informal a frenzied hurry to do something : a workload of constant panics and rush jobs.

sergey (X)
Local time: 15:30
PRO pts in category: 4

Peer comments on this answer (and responses from the answerer)
neutral  David Hollywood: I think the emphasis is on speed rather than fear ...
4 mins
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