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
bat 1 of 2
noun
1
as in blow
a hard strike with a part of the body or an instrument a sharp bat with a rolled-up newspaper and that fly was a goner Synonyms & Similar Words
Relevance
- blow
- knock
- hit
- thump
- whack
- punch
- swipe
- slap
- thud
- stroke
- smack
- poke
- lick
- pound
- bang
- spank
- slam
- hook
- beat
- clip
- swat
- switch
- lash
- clap
- sock
- swing
- bop
- box
- kick
- chop
- smash
- pelt
- belt
- thwack
- crack
- slug
- cuff
- biff
- haymaker
- stinger
- stripe
- bash
- pick
- welt
- hack
- knee
- wham
- whop
- rap
- dab
- plump
- wallop
- bust
- licking
- hand
- clout
- buffet
- right
- whap
- fillip
- pounding
- left
- beating
- douse
- larrup
- counter
- hammering
- uppercut
- whip
- body blow
- counterstroke
- roundhouse
- sidewinder
- counterpunch
- counterblow
- shiver
- rabbit punch
- knockdown
- whipping
- battering
- knockout
- thrashing
- clobbering
- sucker punch
- cruncher
- bludgeoning
- pummeling
- right-hander
- walloping
- cudgelling
- kayo
- cudgeling
- flogging
- drubbing
- bastinade
- pasting
- one-two
- bastinado
- KO
- pummelling
- lambasting
2
as in cane
a heavy rigid stick used as a weapon or for punishment riot policemen armed with bats and tear gas Synonyms & Similar Words
- cane
- baton
- mallet
- mace
- hammer
- billy
- bludgeon
- cudgel
- club
- rod
- nightstick
- truncheon
- billy club
- waddy
- staff
- shillelagh
- bastinade
- rung
- shillalah
- bastinado
- hickory
- beetle
- sap
- maul
- birch
- sledgehammer
- switch
- rattan
- knobkerrie
- stave
- blackjack
- gavel
- crook
- crosier
- crabstick
- walking stick
- whangee
- crozier
bat
2 of 2verb
1
as in to knock
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
- knock
- hit
- smack
- punch
- slap
- strike
- bang
- whack
- slam
- clap
- clip
- swipe
- pound
- hammer
- nail
- crack
- box
- swat
- thump
- kick
- whale
- flick
- bop
- bash
- thwack
- sock
- slug
- tap
- tag
- clock
- bludgeon
- jab
- lick
- biff
- poke
- batter
- smite
- belt
- bob
- rap
- wallop
- zap
- clout
- shove
- bonk
- chop
- push
- stab
- stroke
- bust
- clobber
- bump
- bunt
- paste
- maul
- slog
- pepper
- lash
- cuff
- pelt
- beat
- skull
- butt
- stamp
- knee
- bung
- hang one on
- rough
- slash
- club
- pommel
- lace
- deck
- whip
- cane
- sledgehammer
- buffet
- dump
- scuff
- brain
- sledge
- spear
- mangle
- switch
- floor
- pummel
- bean
- cudgel
- drub
- level
- conk
- cream
- fell
- sap
- flail
- knock down
- prod
- thrash
- jostle
- sucker punch
- lambaste
- lambast
- rabbit-punch
- bowl (down or over)
- flog
2
as in to lick
to strike repeatedly batted the piñata until it finally broke open Synonyms & Similar Words
- lick
- batter
- lash
- pound
- knock
- whip
- hide
- pelt
- hit
- thump
- punch
- attack
- beat
- slap
- hammer
- smash
- do
- maul
- club
- assault
- whale
- paddle
- slam
- box
- spank
- switch
- bash
- punch out
- smack
- bludgeon
- whack
- chop
- slate
- birch
- raid
- curry
- storm
- belt
- pummel
- work over
- wallop
- tan
- pommel
- thrash
- lace
- swipe
- buffet
- bung up
- swat
- whap
- lather
- drub
- thresh
- whop
- wound
- fib
- slog
- whup
- crack
- thwack
- sock
- flog
- tromp
- baste
- cudgel
- cane
- beat up on
- belabor
- cuff
- leather
- strap
- wham
- lambast
- lambaste
- rush
- clout
- lam
- cowhide
- bust
- paste
- scourge
- lay on
- clobber
- assail
- rawhide
- blackjack
- rough (up)
- flagellate
- gore
- beset
- lacerate
- whomp
- descend (on or upon)
- mess (up)
- horsewhip
- pistol-whip
- pounce (on or upon)
- jump (on)
- mutilate
- mangle
- fustigate
- maim
3
as in to roam
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
- roam
- wander
- stroll
- drift
- cruise
- float
- range
- rove
- saunter
- traipse
- galavant
- kick around
- meander
- maunder
- hobo
- mooch
- gallivant
- amble
- gypsy
- stray
- tramp
- mope
- ramble
- vagabond
- knock (about)
- gad (about)
- dawdle
- straggle
- mill (about or around)