note: This is very similar to my writeup at
whack off. If anyone can alert me to any distinctions between the two terms, I would be very interested
Slang (and slightly dismissive) term meaning
masturbate. Usually applied to
males, but this is probably due to the social phenomenon of male masturbation being generally more accepted and discussed. "Beat" might refer to the
rhythmic motions involved, although the
synonymous terms
jerk off and
whack off suggest that the energy and force of the act have more to do with it.
If I were a
feminist cultural critic I could discuss the implications of violent terms being associated with
autoeroticism, but I suspect that the issue is no more profound than what I've discussed above.
"Beating off" is a very casual term, and used when one wants to detract from the significance of the act (or when one is in early
adolesence, or otherwise
chronically horny).