A bat is a wooden or metal stick used to hit a ball. People use bats in games like baseball or cricket to play and score points.
He hit the ball with a bat.
I bought a new cricket bat yesterday.
To bat means to hit something with a bat or with your hand in a fast movement. It is often used in sports like baseball or cricket.
He batted the ball very hard.
The player batted all the way to the base.
Bat as a noun also means the time when a player tries to hit the ball in games such as baseball or cricket. Each player gets a chance or turn called a 'bat'.
It is my turn to bat now.
She had a good bat in the last game.
In informal English, 'bat' can mean an attempt to do something. People might say 'give it a bat' meaning 'try it'. This is a casual, idiomatic use.
Give it a bat and see what happens.
She had a bat at solving the problem.
In some informal contexts, 'bat' means a chance or opportunity, especially in unlucky or difficult moments. The phrase 'no second bat' means no second chance.
You won't get a second bat at this.
His bat ran out after a bad decision.
In cricket, a 'bat's length' is a way to measure short distances. It means about the length of the bat. People use it to say how close something was.
The ball went past by a bat's length.
He missed by a bat's length only.
Bat can mean to blink your eyes quickly. We often say 'not bat an eye' to show no surprise or reaction. It is used in speaking to describe quick eye movement.
She did not bat an eye at the news.
He batted his eyes to get attention.
