~ 1
■ noun
1》 an implement with a handle and a solid surface, used in sports such as cricket or baseball for hitting the ball.
2》 a slab on which pottery is formed, dried, or fired.
■ verb ( ~s , ~ting , ~ted )
1》 (in sport) take the role of hitting rather than throwing the ball.
2》 hit with the flat of one's hand.
3》 ( ~ something around/about ) informal casually discuss an idea or proposal.
4》 ( ~ around/about ) informal travel widely, frequently, or casually.
Phrases
off one's own ~ Brit. informal at one's own instigation.
right off the ~ N. Amer. informal at the very beginning.
Origin
OE ~t 'club, stick, staff', perh. partly from OFr. ~te , from ~tre 'to strike'.
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~ 2
■ noun
1》 a mainly nocturnal mammal capable of sustained flight, with membranous wings that extend between the fingers and limbs. [Order Chiroptera: many species.]
2》 ( old ~ ) informal an unattractive and unpleasant woman.
Phrases
have ~s in the belfry informal be eccentric or mad.
Origin
C16: alt., perh. by assoc. with med. L. ~ta , blacta , of ME bakke , of Scand. origin; sense 2 is from ~ , a sl. term for 'prostitute', or from ~tleaxe .
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~ 3
■ verb ( ~s , ~ting , ~ted ) flutter (one's eyelashes).
Phrases
not ~ (or without ~ting ) an eyelid (or N. Amer. eye) informal show (or showing) no surprise or concern.
Origin
C19 (orig. US): from dialect and US ~ 'to wink, blink', var. of obs. ~e 'to flutter'.