Longman Dictionary of Contemporary English - bat

~1 n 1 »ANIMAL« a small animal like a mouse that flies around at night  (- see also fruit bat) 2 »SPORT« a) a long wooden stick with a special shape that is used in some sports and games  (a baseball bat) b) BrE a round flat piece of wood with a handle, used to hit a ball in table tennis; paddle1 (3AmE 3 be at bat to be the person who is trying to hit the ball in a game of baseball 4 do sth off your own bat BrE informal to do something without being told to do it  (You did all this work off your own bat?) 5 do sth right off the bat AmE informal to do something immediately  (I asked him to help, and he said yes right off the bat.) 6 like a bat out of hell informal very fast  (I drove like a bat out of hell to the hospital.) 7 old bat spoken an unpleasant old woman 8 have bats in the belfry old-fashioned to be slightly crazy  (- see also as blind as a bat blind1 (1c)) ~2 v batted, batting 1 to hit the ball with a bat in cricket (2) or baseball (2) 2 not bat an eye/eyelid informal to not seem to be shocked, surprised, or embarrassed  (He didn't bat an eyelid when I said I was leaving.) 3 bat your eyes/eyelashes if a woman bats her eyes, she opens and closes them quickly, especially in order to look attractive to men 4 go to bat for AmE informal to help and support someone  (Andy really went to bat for me when I was accused of stealing that money.) 5 bat a thousand also bat a 1000 AmE informal to be very successful  (She's been batting a thousand ever since she got that new job.) bat sth around phr v informal to discuss the good and bad parts of a plan, idea etc