bat

n. a small animal like a mouse with wings that flies at night.

n. a nocturnal flying mammal of the order Chiroptera, characterized by forelimbs modified into wings.

“We saw a bat fly out of the cave just as the sun went down.”

“Ecologists are monitoring the local bat population to see how the new highway affects their nocturnal hunting patterns.”

n. a long piece of wood or metal used to hit the ball in games like baseball or cricket.

n. a club-shaped implement, typically made of wood or composite materials, used for striking the ball in various field games.

“He grabbed his baseball bat and ran out to the field.”

“The professional cricketer selected a heavy willow bat, checking the grain of the wood for any signs of weakness before the match.”

v. to take your turn hitting the ball in a game.

v. to take a turn as the hitter in sports such as baseball or cricket; to strike a ball with a bat.

“Our team is going to bat first in the second half of the game.”

“The captain decided to bat first after winning the toss, hoping to set a high score on the dry pitch.”

v. to open and close your eyes quickly, usually to get attention.

v. to flutter the eyelashes, often as a flirtatious or feigned innocent gesture; usually used in the phrase 'to bat one's eyelashes'.

“She didn't say a word, she just batted her eyelashes and smiled.”

“He tried to look innocent by batting his eyelashes, but the teacher knew exactly who had started the argument.”

n. an unkind way to describe an old woman who is annoying or strange.

n. a derogatory term for an elderly woman, implying she is eccentric, unpleasant, or unattractive.

“The neighbor is a bit of an old bat, always complaining about the noise.”

“Though the character was written as a bitter old bat, the actress brought a surprising amount of vulnerability to the role.”

Informal

n. the speed at which something happens.

n. the rate of motion or speed, most commonly found in the idiomatic expression 'right off the bat'.

“I knew right off the bat that we were going to be great friends.”

“The new CEO made several major changes right off the bat, surprising the board with her decisive leadership style.”

Informal

n. a name for the three biggest technology companies in China: Baidu, Alibaba, and Tencent.

n. An acronymic collective noun referring to the dominant Chinese technology firms Baidu, Alibaba, and Tencent.

“Investors are closely watching the BAT companies for growth in the Asian market.”

“The regulatory crackdown on the BAT group has significantly altered the landscape of the Chinese digital economy.”

Technical