bat
1 of 5noun (1)
ˈbat 
1
: a stout solid stick : club
2
: a sharp blow : stroke
3
a
: a usually wooden implement used for hitting the ball in various games
b
: a paddle used in various games (such as table tennis)
c
: the short whip used by a jockey
4
a
: batsman, batter
a right-handed bat
b
: a turn at batting —usually used in the phrase at bat
c
: hitting ability
we need his bat in the lineup
5
: batt
6
British : rate of speed : gait
7
: binge
bat
2 of 5verb (1)
batted; batting
transitive verb
1
: to strike or hit with or as if with a bat
2
a
: to advance (a base runner) by batting
b
: to have a batting average of
3
: to discuss at length : consider in detail
intransitive verb
1
a
: to strike or hit a ball with a bat
b
: to take one's turn at bat
2
: to wander aimlessly
bat
3 of 5noun (2)
: any of a widely distributed order (Chiroptera) of nocturnal usually frugivorous or insectivorous flying mammals that have wings formed from four elongated digits of the forelimb covered by a cutaneous membrane and that have adequate visual capabilities but often rely on echolocation
bat
4 of 5verb (2)
batted; batting
transitive verb
: to wink especially in surprise or emotion
never batted an eye
also : flutter
batted his eyelashes
BAT
5 of 5abbreviation
bachelor of arts in teaching
Synonyms
Noun (1)
- bang
- bash
- beat
- belt
- biff
- blow
- bop
- box
- buffet
- bust
- chop
- clap
- clip
- clout
- crack
- cuff
- dab
- douse [British]
- fillip
- hack
- haymaker
- hit
- hook
- knock
- larrup [dialect]
- lash
- lick
- pelt
- pick
- plump
- poke
- pound
- punch
- rap
- slam
- slap
- slug
- smack
- smash
- sock
- spank
- stinger
- stripe
- stroke
- swat
- swipe
- switch
- thud
- thump
- thwack
- wallop
- welt
- whack
- wham
- whop
- whap
Verb (1)
- bang
- bash
- belt
- biff
- bludgeon
- bob
- bonk
- bop
- box
- bust
- clap
- clip
- clobber
- clock
- clout
- crack
- hammer
- hit
- knock
- nail
- paste
- pound
- punch
- rap
- slam
- slap
- slog
- slug
- smack
- smite
- sock
- strike
- swat
- swipe
- tag
- thump
- thwack
- wallop
- whack
- whale
- zap
See all Synonyms & Antonyms 
Word History
Etymology
Noun (1)
Middle English, from Old English batt
Noun (2)
probably alteration of Middle English bakke, of Scandinavian origin; akin to Old Swedish nattbakka bat
Verb (2)
probably alteration of bate entry 2
First Known Use
Noun (1)
before the 12th century, in the meaning defined at sense 1
Verb (1)
13th century, in the meaning defined at transitive sense 1
Noun (2)
1580, in the meaning defined above
Verb (2)
circa 1787, in the meaning defined above
Phrases Containing bat
Kids Definition
bat 1 of 3
noun
ˈbat
1
: a sharp blow or slap
a bat on the ear
2
: an implement used for hitting the ball in various games a baseball bat
3
: a turn at batting
You're next at bat.
bat
2 of 3verb
batted; batting
1
: to strike with or as if with a bat The cat batted at the tablecloth's tassels.
2
: to take a turn at bat
Have you batted yet?
bat
3 of 3noun
: any of a group of mammals that fly by means of long front limbs modified into wings
Medical Definition
bat
noun
ˈbat
: any of an order (Chiroptera) of nocturnal placental flying mammals with forelimbs modified to form wings
batted
verb
1
as in smacked
to deliver a blow to (someone or something) usually in a strong vigorous manner batted the lamp off the table with one strike Synonyms & Similar Words
Relevance
- smacked
- knocked
- hit
- slammed
- banged
- slapped
- punched
- struck
- clapped
- whacked
- pounded
- swiped
- swatted
- clipped
- cracked
- poked
- bashed
- thumped
- kicked
- slugged
- licked
- flicked
- shoved
- bobbed
- jabbed
- pushed
- nailed
- hammered
- bopped
- tapped
- socked
- rapped
- clobbered
- belted
- thwacked
- clouted
- walloped
- clocked
- stroked
- chopped
- bludgeoned
- zapped
- smote
- pasted
- slogged
- stabbed
- biffed
- boxed
- busted
- bumped
- whaled
- tagged
- bonked
- bunted
- lashed
- peppered
- clapt
- mauled
- pummeled
- battered
- pelted
- bust
- laced
- prodded
- buffeted
- slashed
- beat
- butted
- stamped
- dumped
- lambasted
- whipped
- hung one on
- jostled
- bunged
- cuffed
- roughed
- mangled
- scuffed
- creamed
- speared
- pummelled
- drubbed
- clubbed
- beaned
- flailed
- thrashed
- kneed
- decked
- conked
- switched
- pommeled
- leveled
- floored
- felled
- pommelled
- sledged
- skulled
- levelled
- sapped
- caned
- knocked down
- brained
- flogged
- cudgelled
- sucker punched
- sledgehammered
- cudgeled
- rabbit-punched
- bowled (down or over)
2
as in licked
to strike repeatedly batted the piñata until it finally broke open Synonyms & Similar Words
- licked
- lashed
- pounded
- knocked
- pelted
- whipped
- hit
- thumped
- slapped
- attacked
- slammed
- battered
- did
- smashed
- punched
- smacked
- beat
- bashed
- spanked
- hided
- mauled
- chopped
- clubbed
- hammered
- assaulted
- thrashed
- pummeled
- belted
- walloped
- whacked
- paddled
- laced
- bludgeoned
- swiped
- buffeted
- swatted
- switched
- lathered
- slogged
- whapped
- lambasted
- worked over
- curried
- slated
- punched out
- raided
- fibbed
- threshed
- whaled
- tromped
- tanned
- pummelled
- drubbed
- flogged
- basted
- boxed
- belabored
- stormed
- whupped
- pommeled
- whopped
- cracked
- birched
- socked
- pommelled
- wounded
- beat up on
- clobbered
- rushed
- clouted
- bunged up
- thwacked
- assailed
- pasted
- laid on
- strapped
- cuffed
- busted
- beset
- lacerated
- lammed
- whammed
- cudgelled
- caned
- leathered
- whomped
- horsewhipped
- roughed (up)
- scourged
- messed (up)
- gored
- cudgeled
- flagellated
- bust
- blackjacked
- mutilated
- descended (on or upon)
- mangled
- jumped (on)
- maimed
- cowhided
- pounced (on or upon)
- rawhided
- fustigated
- pistol-whipped
3
as in wandered
to move about from place to place aimlessly on Sunday afternoons we'd pile into Father's car and bat around the countryside Synonyms & Similar Words
- wandered
- roamed
- drifted
- strolled
- floated
- cruised
- meandered
- ranged
- roved
- traipsed
- rambled
- sauntered
- gallivanted
- ambled
- mooched
- maundered
- galavanted
- knocked (about)
- strayed
- dawdled
- kicked around
- gadded (about)
- tramped
- hoboed
- straggled
- moped
- vagabonded
- gypsied
- milled (about or around)