Dictionary

bat

Pronunciation: (bat), [key]
—n., v., bat•ted, bat•ting.

—n.
1. Sports.
a. the wooden club used in certain games, as baseball and cricket, to strike the ball.
b. a racket, esp. one used in badminton or table tennis.
c. a whip used by a jockey.
d. the act of using a club or racket in a game.
e. the right or turn to use a club or racket.
2. a heavy stick, club, or cudgel.
3. Informal.a blow, as with a bat.
4. any fragment of brick or hardened clay.
5. Masonry.a brick cut transversely so as to leave one end whole.
6. Brit. Slang.speed; rate of motion or progress, esp. the pace of the stroke or step of a race.
7. Slang.a spree; binge: to go on a bat.
8. Ceram.
a. a sheet of gelatin or glue used in bat printing.
b. a slab of moist clay.
c. a ledge or shelf in a kiln.
d. a slab of plaster for holding a piece being modeled or for absorbing excess water from slip.
9. batt.
10. at bat, Baseball.
a. taking one's turn to bat in a game: at bat with two men in scoring position.
b. an instance at bat officially charged to a batter except when the batter is hit by a pitch, receives a base on balls, is interfered with by the catcher, or makes a sacrifice hit or sacrifice fly: two hits in three at bats.
11. go to bat for, Informal.to intercede for; vouch for; defend: to go to bat for a friend.
12. right off the bat, Informal.at once; without delay: They asked me to sing right off the bat.

—v.t.
1. to strike or hit with or as if with a bat or club.
2. Baseball.to have a batting average of; hit: He batted .325 in spring training.

—v.i.
1. Sports.
a. to strike at the ball with the bat.
b. to take one's turn as a batter.
2. Slang.to rush.
3. bat around,
a. Slang.to roam; drift.
b. Informal.to discuss or ponder; debate: We batted the idea around.
c. Baseball.to have every player in the lineup take a turn at bat during a single inning.
4. bat in, Baseball.to cause (a run) to be scored by getting a hit: He batted in two runs with a double to left.
5. bat out, to do, write, produce, etc., hurriedly: I have to bat out a term paper before class.
6. bat the breeze. See breeze ¹ (def. 5).

bat

Pronunciation: (bat), [key]
—n.
1. any of numerous flying mammals of the order Chiroptera, of worldwide distribution in tropical and temperate regions, having modified forelimbs that serve as wings and are covered with a membranous skin extending to the hind limbs.
2. blind as a bat, nearly or completely blind; having very poor vision: Anyone can tell that he's blind as a bat, but he won't wear glasses.
3. have bats in one's belfry, Informal.to have crazy ideas; be very peculiar, erratic, or foolish: If you think you can row across the ocean in that boat, you have bats in your belfry.

bat

Pronunciation: (bat), [key]
—v.t., bat•ted, bat•ting.
1. to blink; wink; flutter.
2. not bat an eye, to show no emotion or surprise; maintain a calm exterior: The murderer didn't bat an eye when the jury announced its verdict of guilty.