off your own bat

off (one's) own bat

Without prompting from another. If you want to make more money, you'll have to take on new clients off your own bat. Susie didn't wait for her parents to tell her to take out the garbage. She did it off her own bat.
See also: bat, off, own
Farlex Dictionary of Idioms.

off your own bat

BRITISH
If you do something off your own bat, you choose to do it and no one else tells you to do it. Whatever she did, she did off her own bat. It was nothing to do with me. Note: In cricket, players can score runs either by hitting the ball themselves, or when their partner hits it, or when the ball is not hit at all but goes beyond the wicket.
See also: bat, off, own
Collins COBUILD Idioms Dictionary, 3rd ed.

off your own bat

at your own instigation; spontaneously. British
The bat referred to in this phrase is a cricket bat.
1995 Colin Bateman Cycle of Violence She doesn't have me doing anything, Marty. It's all off my own bat.
See also: bat, off, own
Farlex Partner Idioms Dictionary

ˌoff your own ˈbat

(British English, informal) independently, without the encouragement or help of others: Nobody had even tried to persuade Tim to give up smoking; he did it off his own bat.
See also: bat, off, own
Farlex Partner Idioms Dictionary
See also:
  • off (one's) own bat
  • go to bat for
  • go to bat for (one)
  • go to bat for somebody
  • go to bat for someone
  • like a bat out of hell
  • on one’s own hook
  • on own hook
  • on own initiative
  • on your own account
References in periodicals archive
Off your own bat: See the Cricket World Cup in action (and in style) - Seaham Hall from PS210 pp The Cricket World Cup captivates fans all over the world and this year, it's back on home ground.
HOLIDAY DEALS
If you want to start a small part-time business, do so off your own bat. Call for more...
Your Stars With Partrick Arundell
He recalled: "I went to Denmark ( to join Aarhus Fremad) when I was just 19 and I think to do that off your own bat stands you in good stead to be able to go to different clubs later in life and still slot in easily.
Football: Keeping the peace will be Iwelumo's inspiration
A safe pair of hands and off your own bat are cricket terms while the first blow by blow accounts were early boxing reports.
THAT'S WHO ATE ALL THE PIES; Terrace chant began in 1894 over 24st Sheffield Utd keeper
The phrases "off your own bat" and "a safe pair of hands" come from cricket but are now commonly used, while a "blow by blow" account and someone having a "fighting chance" are both from boxing.
I ATE ALL THE PIES FIRST; The 24st goalie who was target of terracing chant
Even if you did it off your own bat, I'm not surprised it spooked her.
Banned for computer porn peek