I. ˈbat noun
Etymology: Middle English, from Old English batt
Date: before 12th century
1. : a stout solid stick : club
2. : a sharp blow : stroke
3.
a. : a usually wooden implement used for hitting the ball in various games
b. : a paddle used in various games (as table tennis)
c. : the short whip used by a jockey
4.
a. : batsman , batter
a right-handed bat
b. : a turn at batting — usually used in the phrase at bat
c. : hitting ability
we need his bat in the lineup
5. : batt
6. British : rate of speed : gait
7. : binge
•
- off one's own bat
- off the bat
II. verb
( bat·ted ; bat·ting )
Date: 15th century
transitive verb
1. : to strike or hit with or as if with a bat
2.
a. : to advance (a base runner) by batting
b. : to have a batting average of
3. : to discuss at length : consider in detail
intransitive verb
1.
a. : to strike or hit a ball with a bat
b. : to take one's turn at bat
2. : to wander aimlessly
III. noun
Etymology: probably alteration of Middle English bakke, of Scandinavian origin; akin to Old Swedish natt bakka bat
Date: 1580
: any of a widely distributed order (Chiroptera) of nocturnal usually frugivorous or insectivorous flying mammals that have wings formed from four elongated digits of the forelimb covered by a cutaneous membrane and that have adequate visual capabilities but often rely on echolocation
IV. transitive verb
( bat·ted ; bat·ting )
Etymology: probably alteration of bate (II)
Date: circa 1838
: to wink especially in surprise or emotion
never batted an eye
also : flutter
batted his eyelashes