beat one's breast

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beat one's breast

Where it comes from

For the meaning development compare Proto-Slavic *plakati ultimately from *pleh₂k-, *pleh₂g- (“to beat”) (whence also Latin plangō (whence plangent, plain)).

verb beats one's breast · beating one's breast · beat one's breast · beaten one's breast

figuratively To ostentatiously display remorse, sorrow, or upset.
Similar: beat one's chest

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verb Translations

Français	battre sa coulpe

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MLA

"beat one's breast." Wiktionary, via Micwyn, micwyn.com/word/beat%20one's%20breast. Accessed 6 Nov. 2026.

APA

beat one's breast. (n.d.). In Wiktionary, via Micwyn. Retrieved November 6, 2026, from https://micwyn.com/word/beat%20one's%20breast

Chicago

"beat one's breast." Wiktionary, via Micwyn. Accessed November 6, 2026. https://micwyn.com/word/beat%20one's%20breast.

BibTeX

@misc{beat_one_s_breast_2026,
  title = {beat one's breast},
  howpublished = {Wiktionary, via Micwyn},
  year = {2026},
  url = {https://micwyn.com/word/beat%20one's%20breast},
  urldate = {2026-11-06}
}