Bat definition
Bat an idea around.
To bat third in the lineup.
To bat left-handed.
An example of a bat is the long wooden or metal instrument a baseball player uses to hit the ball.
An example of a bat is a large club a person keeps near their bed in case of a break-in.
An example of a bat is a hard whack over the head with a fireplace poker.
An example of a bat is a small flying black animal used in decorations for Halloween.
An example of bat is to strike a person in the foot with a large, heavy stick.
An example of bat is to hit the ball when playing in a baseball game.
Bat one's eyelashes.
Batted the winning run in with a double.
- Taking one's turn to bat, as in baseball or cricket.
- To give assistance to; defend.
- Without hesitation; immediately:They responded right off the bat.
- To behave in an eccentric, bizarre manner.
- To show no emotion; appear unaffected:The reporter didn't bat an eyelash while reading the gruesome news.
- taking a turn at batting
- to travel or roam about
- to consider or discuss (an idea, plan, etc.) freely and informally
- to have all the batters in the lineup come to bat in a single inning
- to create or compose quickly or hastily
- to intervene on behalf of; defend
- immediately
- quite blind
- to be insane; have crazy notions
- not show surprise
Idioms and Phrasal Verbs
Origin of bat
- Middle English perhaps partly of Celtic origin and partly from Old French batte pounding implement, flail (from batre to beat batter1)
From American Heritage Dictionary of the English Language, 5th Edition
- Alteration of Middle English bakke of Scandinavian origin
From American Heritage Dictionary of the English Language, 5th Edition
- Probably from batter spree
From American Heritage Dictionary of the English Language, 5th Edition
- Probably a variant of bate
From American Heritage Dictionary of the English Language, 5th Edition
- Dialectal variant (akin to the dialectal Swedish term natt-batta) of Middle English bakke, balke, from Scandinavian (compare Old Swedish natbakka, Old Danish nathbakkæ (literally “night-flapper”), Old Norse leðrblaka (literally “leather-flapper”)).
From Wiktionary
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From Wiktionary
- Possibly a variant of bate.
From Wiktionary
- Cognate to baton.
From Wiktionary
- Old English batt
From Wiktionary