beat one to it meaning

• [American slang]
  v. phr. To arrive or get ahead of another person. I was about to call you, John, but you have beat me to it! Thanks for calling me.
  

• beat into one's head:    [American slang]v. ...
• beat one's brains:     or beat one's bra ...
• beat one's brains out:     or beat one's bra ...