bat

bat

bat¹ [bat]

n.

[ME < OE batt, cudgel (prob. < Welsh bat < IE base * bhat-, to strike) & < OFr batte, pestle < battre,BATTER¹]

1. any stout club, stick, or cudgel

2. a club used to strike the ball in baseball and cricket

3. a ping-pong paddle, squash racket, etc.

☆ 4. a turn at batting, as in baseball: see also AT-BAT

5. Brit. a batsman at cricket

6. [usually pl.] cotton batting, esp. of an inferior quality; batt

7. the whip used by a jockey

8. Informal a blow or hit

☆ 9. Slang a drinking bout; spree

10. [Brit. Informal] fast pace; speed

11. Ceramics a plaster disk on which the clay is based in modeling

vt.

batted, batting

1. to strike with or as with a bat

2. to have a batting average of: see BATTING AVERAGE

vi.

1. to use a bat [to bat left-handed]

2. to take a turn at batting [to bat third in the lineup]

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☆ at bat

Baseball taking a turn at batting: see also AT-BAT

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☆ bat around Slang

1. to travel or roam about

2. to consider or discuss (an idea, plan, etc.) freely and informally

3. Baseball to have all the batters in the lineup come to bat in a single inning

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☆ bat out

Slang to create or compose quickly or hastily

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☆ go to bat for

Informal to intervene on behalf of; defend

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☆ right off the bat or off the bat

Informal immediately

bat² [bat]

n.

[altered < ME bakke < Scand, as in OSwed backa]

any of an order (Chiroptera) of furry, nocturnal flying mammals having membranous wings and navigating by echolocation; chiropter: various bats feed on insects, nectar, fruit, flesh, or blood

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blind as a bat

quite blind

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☆ have bats in the belfry or have bats in one's belfry

Slang to be insane; have crazy notions

bat³ [bat]

vt.

batted, batting [ME baten, to flap (wings) < OFr battre, BATTER¹]

Informal to wink; blink; flutter

to wink; blink; flutter

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☆ not bat an eye or not bat an eyelash

Informal not show surprise