Green’s Dictionary of Slang

1. (also beat) to masturbate; usu. but not exclusively of men.

1958–9		in E. Cray Erotic Muse (1992) 391: There’ll be no more wine, women or cunt. / We’ll lay in our trenches and dream of fine wenches, / And beat off our meat with a grunt.
1969		H. Ellison ‘A Boy and his Dog’ in Beast that Shouted Love (1976) 181: All around me, the solos were beating-off, moaning.
1975		J. Wambaugh Choirboys (1976) 291: You can beat off in a nickel toilet, ya cheap little fuck, ya.
1985		K. Vacha Quiet Fire 27: Some trick had been in and wanted to watch me fuck her while he beat off.
1990		Tupper & Wortley Aus. Prison Sl. Gloss. 🌐 Beat 2. To masturbate.
1998		K. Sampson Awaydays 157: I need a wank, so I beat off quickly at Sarah Mitchell’s desk.
2001		S. King Dreamcatcher 498: Gary Jones beats off in his graduation hat!
2010		(con. 1973) C. Stella Johnny Porno 10: Some a them use the toilet there, I know theyr’e beating themslves off.
2016		K. Koke ‘I’m Back’ 🎵 Beating off my junk to a picture of the meanest bitch.

2. to masturbate another person.

1978		Frank Zappa ‘Easy Meat’ 🎵 She wanna take me home, / Make me sweat and moan / Rub my head and beat me off.
1987		‘Victoria Parker’ Pay for Play Cheerleaders 🌐 Nancy jerked on his prick. His cockhead bubbled, then oozed on her panties. ‘Should I beat ya off?’ Nancy whispered.
1998		‘Bill E. Goodhead’ Nubile Treat 🌐 Her huge breasts lay enticingly on her chest, pretty as hell, made more so by the erect eagerness of her nipples. Once he began beating her off, that was an area he’d have to give plenty of attention to.
2000		G. Pelecanos Shame the Devil 81: ‘You don’t know the half of it. I was beating them off.’ ‘That must have made them happy.’.

3. in fig. use, to waste time, to loaf around.

1967–8

Baker et al. CUSS 78: Beat off Waste time, not study.

4. (UK black) to fire a gun.

2018-20		T. Thorne (ed.) ‘Drill Slang Glossary’ at Forensic Linguistic Databank 🌐 Beat, beat off — fire a gun.
2020		G. Krauze What They Was 103: [He] pulled out his strap and beat it off into the air for extra impact .