在beat one's gums这个习惯用语里，gum这个词有完全不同的含义。它指的是人的牙龈。Beat one's gums，是从五十多年前第二次世界大战期间开始流传的俚语。意思是唠唠叨叨、没完没了地抱怨。这往往出于习惯，或者只是没话找话说。

　　例句 If I didn't hear my men beating their gums about how bad the chow was, or how hard they worked, I worried. When they were too quiet, I was afraid they were losing their fighting spirit.

　　要是我听不到我的部下没完没了地抱怨伙食有多差劲，或者他们干活有多辛苦，那我就得担心了。当他们过于沉默的时候，我害怕他们的斗志消沉了。

　　唠叨抱怨也许是人所难免的行为，但是要是做得太过火，就会成了问题，令人生厌。在下面例子里，名叫Oscar的家伙就是这样一个人。说话的人是在给一位新同事一点忠告。

　　例句 Look, you don't want to get a desk anywhere close to that guy Oscar. He'll drive you crazy - he loves to beat his gums anytime he has anybody close enough to be an audience for him.

　　喂，你可千万别靠近Oscar那家伙的办公桌，他会把你烦死了。任何时候只要附近有任何人能听他说话，他就会罗嗦个没完没了。