In the following question, out of the given four alternatives, select which best expresses the meaning of the Idiom/Phrase.

Beat about the bush.

Avoid talking about the main topic

The idiom "beat about the bush" means to avoid talking about the main topic.

The other options are incorrect.

• "Play tricks with someone" is not the same as beat about the bush. Playing tricks with someone is a deliberate action, while beat about the bush is often unintentional.
• "Divide something into many parts" is not the same as beat about the bush. Dividing something into many parts is a literal action, while beat about the bush is a figurative expression.
• "To plan an ambush" is not the same as beat about the bush. Planning an ambush is a deliberate action, while beat about the bush is often unintentional.

The idiom "beat about the bush" comes from the idea of a hunter who is trying to catch an animal by circling around it. The hunter does not want to scare the animal away, so they beat the bush to make noise and distract the animal. In the same way, someone who is beating about the bush is trying to avoid talking about something by talking about other things. They do not want to talk about the thing directly, because they are afraid of what the other person might say.