bat

1 noun (C)

1 ANIMAL a small animal like a mouse that flies around at night

-see also: fruit bat

2 SPORT

a) a long wooden stick with a special shape that is used in some sports and games: a baseball bat

b) BrE a round flat piece of wood with a handle, used to hit a ball in table tennis; paddle 1 (3) AmE

3 be at bat to be the person who is trying to hit the ball in a game of baseball

4 do sth off your own bat BrE informal to do something without being told to do it: You did all this work off your own bat?

5 do sth right off the bat AmE informal to do something immediately: I asked him to help, and he said yes right off the bat.

6 like a bat out of hell informal very fast: I drove like a bat out of hell to the hospital.

7 old bat spoken an unpleasant old woman

8 have bats in the belfry old-fashioned to be slightly crazy

-see also: as blind as a bat blind 1 (1c) 2 verb batted, batting

1 (I, T) to hit the ball with a bat in cricket (2) or baseball (2)

2 not bat an eye/eyelid informal to not seem to be shocked, surprised, or embarrassed: He didn't bat an eyelid when I said I was leaving.

3 bat your eyes/eyelashes if a woman bats her eyes, she opens and closes them quickly, especially in order to look attractive to men

4 go to bat for AmE informal to help and support someone: Andy really went to bat for me when I was accused of stealing that money.

5 bat a thousand also bat a 1000 AmE informal to be very successful: She's been batting a thousand ever since she got that new job.

bat sth around phrasal verb (T) informal to discuss the good and bad parts of a plan, idea etc