1. A stout wooden stick; a cudgel. 2. A blow, such as one delivered with a stick. 3.Baseball A rounded, often wooden club, wider and heavier at the hitting end and tapering at the handle, used to strike the ball. 4.Sportsa. A club used in cricket, having a broad, flat-surfaced hitting end and a distinct, narrow handle. b. The racket used in various games, such as table tennis or racquets.
VERB:
Inflected forms: bat·ted, bat·ting, bats
TRANSITIVE VERB:
1. To hit with or as if with a bat. 2.Baseballa. To cause (a run) to be scored while at bat: batted the winning run in with a double.b. To have (a certain percentage) as a batting average. 3.Informal To discuss or consider at length: bat an idea around.
INTRANSITIVE VERB:
1.Baseballa. To use a bat. b. To have a turn at bat. 2.Slang To wander about aimlessly.
PHRASAL VERB:
bat outInformal To produce in a hurried or informal manner: batted out thank-you notes all morning.
IDIOMS:
at batSports Taking one's turn to bat, as in baseball or cricket. go to bat for To give assistance to; defend. off the bat Without hesitation; immediately: They responded right off the bat.
ETYMOLOGY:
Middle English, perhaps partly of Celtic origin and partly from Old French batte, pounding implement, flail (from batre, to beat; see batter1).
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