beat-up

beat-up (comparative more beat-up, superlative most beat-up)

1. (chiefly of an object, informal) Worn out by overuse; in a state of disrepair

beat-up (plural beat-ups)

1. (Australia, Britain, New Zealand) An artificially or disingenuously manufactured outcry, usually in the media.
   • 2009, Natasha Robinson, 'James Packer book outrage a beat-up, says Paul Barry', The Australian, Business section

     “It has been suggested that this is a vicious book, a poisonous book, that it's a disgrace to have written it,” Mr Barry said at today's book launch. “That's a total beat-up."

   • 2009, Michael Cook, 'Is Britain’s stem cell crisis a beat-up?', BioEdge

     Few areas of science journalism are more susceptible to frothy beat-ups than stem cell research.

• up-beat, upbeat