> Can someone (perhaps older than me (I'm 38)) explain this sentence? I have no idea what it even means to "beat on" a flashlight. You push a button, it turns o

> Can someone (perhaps older than me (I'm 38)) explain this sentence? I have no idea what it even means to "beat on" a flashlight. You push a button, it turns on. What is there to "beat on"? I think it has to do with cheaper flashlights that basically consisted of not much more than a plastic tube, a bulb, and some springs for the electrical contacts. Because the tolerances were so poor, the battery terminals would often lose contact with the metal springs. One solution would be to open the flashlight up and re-set the battery. But usually, giving the case of the flashlight a few whacks was enough to bounce the battery back into a place where the circuit would be completed and the flashlight would turn back on.