Green’s Dictionary of Slang

1. to visit, to pay a (surprise) call.

1844

J.W. Kaye Peregrine Pultuney II 54: Pultuney determined [...] that he would ‘go and beat up his old aunt’.

2. to obtain, to inspect.

1909

Wodehouse Mike [ebook] ‘Then let's beat up a study. I suppose they have studies here’ [...] On the first floor there was a passage with doors on either side. Psmith opened the first of these. ‘This'll do us well," he said’ .

3. (orig. US, also beat up on) to nag, to harass.

1910		Wodehouse Gentleman of Leisure Ch. xv: ‘Rehearsal after lunch. Don’t be late.’ And he was off to beat up the rest of the company.
1934		E. Pound letter 7 Jan. in Paige (1971) 250: A guy named Collis is beating up the Britons.
1939		C. Himes ‘A Modern Fable’ in Coll. Stories (1990) 417: You take the son of a bitch yourself [...] You take him and beat him up for bread.
1974		G.V. Higgins Cogan’s Trade (1975) 86: I beat up on my family and get some dough.
1999		K. Sampson Powder 318: Don’t beat yourself up over it, man!

4. to promote, to encourage.

1910		Bulletin (Sydney) 24 Nov. 13/4: Beat up another engagement for that night.
1919		‘Sax Rohmer’ Dope 90: Of course, her game is beating up clients for the Limehouse dive.