1. 徒劳：beat out 搞清 | beat the air 徒劳 | beat the drum for 鼓吹
2. (拳击)打空; 白费力气, 徒劳：put on an air of 装出...的样子 | beat the air (拳击)打空; 白费力气, 徒劳 | clear the air 使空气流通, 使空气变得新鲜 澄清事实; 消除误解
3. 白费力气;劳而无功：5. beat swords into plowshares偃武修文(化干戈为玉帛) | 6. beat the air白费力气(劳而无功) | 29. bring nothing to the world and cannot take anything out生不带来,死不带去
4. 白费力气：Beat swords in to plowshares 化干戈为玉帛 | Beat the air 白费力气 | Between the devil and the deep blue sea 进退两难
1. In the old days when there was no air conditioning or even refrigerators, people still managed to find ways to beat the heat.
2. Officials say security forces firing in the air stormed the two prisons, surrounded the rioters and beat them with clubs until they were subdued.
3. You can forget about throwing your hands in the air, and stomping to the beat of Flo Rida's " In the Ayer ".