bats
bat
1. dated slang An indulgence of wild or celebratory activity; a spree or binge. Primarily heard in US. Me and my pals were on a bat in the Big Apple, see, when Tommy the Toon gets picked up by the fuzz. What a predicament!
2. slang A speed or rate of motion. We were driving at a fair bat when we hit a patch of ice and spun out on the road. He came running toward us at full bat.
3. slang A foolish, irritating, or eccentric old person, usually a woman. Used especially in the phrase "old bat." Ugh, what is that old bat complaining about today?
bat an eye
To display a subtle emotional reaction, such as consternation, annoyance, sadness, joy, etc. Generally used in the negative to denote that the person in question did not display even a hint of an emotional response. Mary didn't even bat an eye when I told her I was moving out. That guy is dangerous. I heard he killed a man without batting an eye.
See also: bat, eye
bat around
1. To push an object around playfully. The cat has been batting around that toy for at least an hour.
2. To strike repeatedly. If I see my neighbor batting around his pets, I will call the police. I was small in high school, so I got batted around a bit, but I eventually learned to stand up for myself.
3. To exchange and contemplate ideas or suggestions. We did bat around other ideas, but that's the slogan we liked the best.
4. To wander aimlessly. I doubt he has a job—he's been batting around out West for a while.
5. In baseball, to reach a team's first batter again in a single inning (because all of the team's batters have already batted in the inning). A: "It's still the top of the third inning?" B: "Yeah, the Cubs have batted around."
See also: around, bat
bat away
1. Literally, to strike a ball away from oneself with a club, bat, or racket. A noun or pronoun can be used between "bat" and "away." I put everything I had into my serves, but my opponent just batted them away as if they were nothing.
2. In baseball, to swing one's bat at will in order to hit the ball. The coach patted the star hitter on the back as she made her way to the plate and told her to bat away.
3. To strike someone or something away from oneself, especially with one's hands. A noun or pronoun can be used between "bat" and "away." I tried to get past the bouncer, but he just batted me away like a fly. It felt like we spent the whole vacation batting away mosquitoes.
4. To avoid, dismiss, or disregard some comment or question. A noun or pronoun can be used between "bat" and "away." I tried to nail down the senator's position on the new tax proposal, but he batted all my questions away. You can't just bat away any bit of criticism leveled at you. You'll never grow as an artist that way!
5. To wink or flutter continuously or at length. Her eyes started batting away as she turned toward the cameras.
See also: away, bat
bat for both teams
euphemism To be attracted to or have sexual relations with people of the same sex and people of the opposite sex; to be bisexual. How do you feel about dating someone who bats for both teams?
See also: bat, both, team
bat for the other side
1. To play for or support, either secretly or openly, the opposing side in a given contest or debate. Refers to cricket and baseball terminology, meaning to be a batter for the other team during a game. While the senator continues to publicly denounce the proposed tax law, many feel that he is really batting for the other side.
2. euphemism To be attracted to or have sexual relations with people of the same sex; to be homosexual. I asked Simone out on a date, but it turns out that she bats for the other side.
See also: bat, other, side
bat for the other team
1. To play for or support, either secretly or openly, the opposing side in a given contest or debate. Refers to cricket and baseball terminology, meaning to be a batter for the other team during a game. While the senator continues to publicly denounce the proposed tax law, many feel that he is really batting for the other team.
2. euphemism To be attracted to or have sexual relations with people of the same sex; to be homosexual. I asked Simone out on a date, but it turns out that she bats for the other team.
See also: bat, other, team
bat in (one or more runs)
In baseball, to hit the ball and allow for one or more teammates to earn a run. The player batted in over 100 runs that season, the highest in the entire league. If she can bat in just one more run, her team will win the game.
See also: bat, more
bat out
To produce or create something very hastily. A noun or pronoun can be used between "bat" and "out." A: "I can't believe he batted out three papers in one day." B: "I bet he doesn't get very good grades on them though."
See also: bat, out
carry (one's) bat
In cricket, to have not gotten out at the end of one team's completed innings. If our best player can carry his bat, then we have a good chance to win the game.
See also: bat, carry
have bats in (one's) belfry
To be crazy; to act, think, or behave in a foolish or nonsensical manner. Tommy has bats in his belfry if he thinks he can convince our mother to let him get a tattoo for his birthday. There's an old lady who stands on the corner yelling at strangers all day. I think she might have bats in her belfry.
See also: bats, belfry, have
have bats in the belfry
To be crazy; to act, think, or behave in a foolish or nonsensical manner. Tommy must have bats in the belfry if he thinks he can convince our mother to let him get a tattoo for his birthday. There's an old lady who stands on the corner yelling at strangers all day. I think she might have bats in the belfry.
See also: bats, belfry, have
have got bats in (one's) belfry
To be crazy; to act, think, or behave in a foolish or nonsensical manner. Tommy has got bats in his belfry if he thinks he can convince our mother to let him get a tattoo for his birthday. There's an old lady who stands on the corner yelling at strangers all day. I think she's got bats in her belfry.
See also: bats, belfry, have
old bat
A foolish or irritating old person. Ugh, what is that old bat complaining about today?
See also: bat, old
Farlex Dictionary of Idioms.
bat something around
1. Lit. to knock something around with a bat or something similar. Terry spent a little time batting a ball around, then he went home. Let's bat around some balls before we go home.
2. Fig. to discuss something back and forth. Let's bat this around a little bit tomorrow at our meeting. Do you want to bat around this matter a little more?
See also: around, bat
have bats in one's belfry
Inf. Fig. to be crazy. You must really have bats in your belfry if you think I'll put up with that kind of stuff. Pay no attention to her. She has bats in her belfry.
See also: bats, belfry, have
McGraw-Hill Dictionary of American Idioms and Phrasal Verbs.
bat around
1. Hit something around, often with a baseball bat or other object, as in We batted the tennis ball around this morning. Originating in baseball, this term came to be applied to more violent action as well, as in Jerry left after being batted around by his father. [Slang; first half of 1900s]
2. Discuss or debate something, as in We batted the various plans around for at least an hour before we came to a decision. This usage transfers batting a ball to a back-and-forth exchange of ideas. [Slang; late 1800s]
3. Drift aimlessly, roam, as in After graduating, they batted around Europe for a year. [Slang; c. 1900]
See also: around, bat
bats in one's belfry, have
Be crazy or at least very eccentric, as in Sally thought her aunt's belief in ghosts indicated she had bats in her belfry. This term in effect likens the bat's seemingly erratic flight in the dark to ideas flying around in a person's head. [Early 1900s]
See also: bats, have
The American Heritage® Dictionary of Idioms by Christine Ammer.
have bats in the belfry
orhave bats in your belfry
OLD-FASHIONEDIf someone has bats in the belfry they are crazy. Don't say that to anyone else or they'll think you've got bats in the belfry! Note: The belfry is the top part of a church tower where the bells are kept, and bats resting there would fly about wildly when disturbed by the bells being rung. In this expression, the belfry represents the person's head.
See also: bats, belfry, have
Collins COBUILD Idioms Dictionary, 3rd ed.
have bats in the (or your) belfry
be eccentric or crazy. informalThis expression refers to the way in which bats in an enclosed space fly about wildly if they are disturbed.
c. 1901 G. W. Peck Peck's Red-Headed Boy They all thought a crazy man with bats in his belfry had got loose.
See also: bats, belfry, have
Farlex Partner Idioms Dictionary
have ˌbats in the ˈbelfry
(old-fashioned, informal) be crazy or eccentricSee also: bats, belfry, have
Farlex Partner Idioms Dictionary
bat around
v.
1. To knock something around with or as if with a bat, hand, or similar object: We batted around some baseballs at the park. The cat batted the squeaky toy around the entire afternoon.
2. To discuss something back and forth in order to come to a decision: They batted around ideas all night before they made up their minds. We batted a few names around when thinking about nominees.
See also: around, bat
bat out
v.
To produce something in a hurried or informal manner: The new store owner batted out thank-you notes to his first customers all morning. I don't have time before the big party to bake hundreds of cookies, but I think I can bat a few dozen out.
See also: bat, out
The American Heritage® Dictionary of Phrasal Verbs.
bat
1. n. a drinking bout. She was on a bat that lasted over a week.
2. n. a drunkard; a person on a drinking spree. A tired old bat—still waving a bottle—met me on the stairs.
bats
1. and batty mod. crazy. You are driving me batty! You are bats if you think I would ever wear a haircut like that.
2. and batty mod. alcohol intoxicated; confused and drunk. The guy was bats—stewed to his ears. He was a bit batty, but he’d been drinking since noon, so no one was surprised.
3. and the bats n. the delirium tremens. (Always with the.) My buddy is shaking because of a slight case of the bats.
the bats
verbSee bats
See also: bats
have bats in one’s belfry
(...ˈbɛlfri) tv. to be crazy. (see also bats. Have got can replace have.) Pay no attention to her. She has bats in her belfry.
See also: bats, belfry, have
McGraw-Hill's Dictionary of American Slang and Colloquial Expressions
have bats in (one's) belfry
To behave in an eccentric, bizarre manner.
See also: bats, belfry, have
American Heritage® Dictionary of the English Language, Fifth Edition.
bats in one's belfry, to have
To be slightly crazy or quite eccentric. The term alludes to the bat’s seemingly erratic flight in the dark, which is transferred to thoughts flying about in the head. In reality, the bat has a sophisticated sonar system whose nature came to light only recently. In flight it keeps up a constant twittering noise that bounces back from solid objects in its path. This echo enables the animal to avoid actually bumping into obstacles. Nevertheless, bats have long been associated with craziness. See also blind as a bat.
See also: bats, have
The Dictionary of Clichés by Christine Ammer
- bat
- burst
- tear
- tear up the pea patch
- go on a binge
- go to bat for
- go to bat for (one)
- go to bat for somebody
- go to bat for someone
- blinder