beater

Etymology 1

From Middle English beter, betere, bettere, from Old English bēatere (“a beater; boxer, fighter; champion”), equivalent to beat + -er. Related to beetle (“a type of mallet”).

noun

1. Someone or something that beats.
   His batwings were somehow more frightening for being the pathetic broken floundering things they were than if they had been strong, muscular beaters of the air. 1982, Douglas Adams, Life, the Universe and Everything, page 94
2. A kitchen implement for mixing.
3. A stick used to play a percussion instrument.
4. A person who drives game towards shooters in a hunting party, typically working in a group with other beaters.
   The beaters halted in a group to watch, and some of them could not refrain from clicking their tongues; they thought it queer and rather shocking to see a woman handle a gun. 1934, George Orwell, chapter 14, in Burmese Days
   Our beaters are doing a marvellous job, just listen to them, will you? 1936, F.J. Thwaites, chapter XV, in The Redemption, Sydney: H. John Edwards, published 1940, page 158
5. A papermaking machine for processing fibres by fibrillation in order to improve bonding strength
6. (US, informal) An old or dilapidated automobile in poor operating condition.
   Packed merrily into my friends’ beater, an old Ford Pinto, we headed into Jennings, a mostly Black North St. Louis County community heavily patrolled by white officers, to pick up one more college friend. July 14, 2020, Ron Stodghill, “Black Behind the Wheel”, in New York Times
7. A weaving tool designed to push the weft yarn securely into place. It contains the comb-like insert reed and is sometimes a part of the loom.
8. (Canada) A harp seal pup after its first moult and before its second moult.
9. In the sport of Quidditch or Muggle quidditch, a player who attempts to hit the opposing team's players with bludgers and to block the bludgers from hitting their own team's players.
10. (informal) A shoe suitable for everyday wear, during which they may get dirty or scuffed, as opposed to more valuable shoes that one wishes to keep in good condition.
    Beaters generally don't sell for much, unless they're a particularly legendary model, and they’re generally sold without the original box or extra laces. Unlike most "worn" sneakers that have been kept as close to perfect as possible, beaters tend to be the shoes used for rainy days and in the gym. 2015-07-22, Josh Chesler, “10 Sneaker Terms You Need to Know When Getting Into Kicks”, in Pheonix New Times
    What constitutes a beater varies from person to person — some might consider affordable sneakers like the Vans Sk8-Hi or a pair of Nike Air Force 1s a pair worth beating to death, while other sneakerheads might discover that one of their favorite "hyped" sneakers just naturally becomes a beater over time. 2018-09-11, Fabian Gorsler, “Industry Insiders Reveal Their Favorite Beater Sneakers”, in Highsnobiety
    5 low-key footwear brands making the trusty summer beater feel exciting again. 2022-07-25, Jake Woolf, “Your Next Pair of Canvas Sneakers Should Come With a Serious Dose of Indie Cred”, in GQ

Etymology 2

By shortening from wifebeater.

noun

1. (US, informal) A sleeveless undershirt.