not bat an eye


not bat an eye

To not display even a hint of an emotional response, such as consternation, annoyance, sadness, joy, etc. Mary didn't even bat an eye when I told her I was moving out. That guy is dangerous. I heard he killed a man without batting an eye.See also: bat, eye, not

not bat an eye

mainly AMERICANIf someone does not bat an eye when something happens, they do not appear at all shocked or surprised by it. She never batted an eye when I told her I was leaving my job. These people don't bat an eye when they're charged 16 dollars a pound for cheese. Note: You can also say that someone does something without batting an eye. He handed over the money without batting an eye. Note: The usual British expression is not bat an eyelid. Note: Bat is from a French word meaning to beat or flutter and is used of a bird's wings. The idea is that people who do not blink a lot in a given situation appear calm rather than nervous or surprised. See also: bat, eye, not

not bat an eye

/eyelash Informal To show no emotion; appear unaffected: The reporter didn't bat an eyelash while reading the gruesome news.See also: bat, eye, not