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in singular and plural. Everything you need to know about the word
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Translingual
Symbol
bat
( international standards ) ISO 639-2 & ISO 639-5 language code for Baltic languages .
English
Pronunciation
Etymology 1
A fruit bat (sense 1 )
Dialectal variant (akin to dialectal Swedish natt-batta ) of Middle English bakke , balke , of North Germanic origin, from Old Norse (leðr)blaka ( literally “ (leather) flapper ” ) , from leðr + blaka ( “ to flap ” ) .
Compare Old Swedish natbakka , Old Danish nathbakkæ ( literally “ night-flapper ” ) .
Noun
bat (plural bats )
Any of the flying mammals of the order Chiroptera , usually small and nocturnal , insectivorous or frugivorous .
Synonyms: chiropter , chiropteran , flindermouse , flitterbat , flittermouse , fluttermouse , flying mouse , rattlemouse , reremouse
1920 , Mary Roberts Rinehart , Avery Hopwood , chapter I, in The Bat: A Novel from the Play (Dell Book; 241 ), New York, N.Y.: Dell Publishing Company , →OCLC , page 01 :The Bat—they called him the Bat. Like a bat he chose the night hours for his work of rapine; like a bat he struck and vanished, pouncingly, noiselessly; like a bat he never showed himself to the face of the day.
2012 , Suemedha Sood, (bbc.co.uk) Travelwise: Texas love bats
As well as being worth millions of dollars to the Texan agriculture industry, these mammals are worth millions of dollars to the state’s tourism industry. Texas is home to the world’s largest known bat colony (in Comal County), and the world’s largest urban bat colony (in Austin). Bat watching is a common activity, with the Texas Parks and Wildlife Department offering more bat -viewing sites than anywhere else in the US.
( derogatory ) An old woman.
2000 , Bill Oddie , Gripping Yarns , page 196 :"Isn't it lovely?" I smiled and thought: "Yes it is. It's also a Blackbird, you silly old bat !
Derived terms
Translations
See also
Etymology 2
A player swinging a baseball bat (sense 1 )
From Middle English bat , batte , from Old English batt ( “ bat, club, cudgel ” ) , probably of Celtic origin, compare Old Breton bath ( “ club, cudgel ” ) and modern Breton bazh ( “ swagger stick ” ) , ultimately from a derivative of Proto-Indo-European *bʰedʰh₂- ( “ to strike, beat, pierce ” ) , similar to the Gaulish source of Latin battuo ( “ I beat, pound ” ) .[ 1]
Noun
bat (plural bats )
A club made of wood or aluminium used for striking the ball in sports such as baseball , softball and cricket .
A turn at hitting the ball with a bat in a game .
You've been in for ages. Can I have a bat now?
A player rated according to skill in batting.
He's a good fielder and a valuable bat .
( two-up ) The piece of wood on which the spinner places the coins and then uses for throwing them.[ 2]
Synonyms: kip , kylie , lannet , stick
( mining ) Shale or bituminous shale.
1799 , Richard Kirwan , Geological Essays :bituminous shale ; which miners , if I mistake not , call bat
A sheet of cotton used for filling quilts or comfortables ; batting .
A part of a brick with one whole end.
A stroke ; a sharp blow .
( UK , Scotland , dialect ) A stroke of work.
( informal ) Rate of motion; speed.
1842 , Sporting Magazine , page 251 :On starting, The Nun led at a very slow pace for a quarter of a mile, when the Shrigley colt made running at a good bat .
1898 , unknown author, Pall Mall Magazine :a vast host of fowl [ …] making at full bat for the North Sea.
( US , slang , dated ) A spree ; a jollification ; a binge , jag .
( UK , Scotland , dialect ) Manner; rate; condition; state of health.
( Kent , Sussex ) A rough walking stick.[ 3] [ 4]
Synonyms
Derived terms
Translations
References
^ Beekes, R. S. P. (1997). Sound Law and Analogy: Papers in Honor of Robert S.P. Beekes on the Occasion of His 60th Birthday. Netherlands: Rodopi, p. 312
^ Sidney J. Baker, The Australian Language , second edition, 1966, chapter XI section 3, page 242
^ A Dictionary of the Sussex Dialect. W.D. Parrish
^ A Dictionary of the Kentish Dialect and Provincialisms. W. D. Parish and W.F. Shaw
Etymology 3
From Middle English baten ( “ to beat ” ) , from Old French batre ( “ to beat ” ) , from Late Latin battere , from Latin battuere ; in modern English reinterpreted as a verbal derivative of Etymology 2. Compare batter , battery .
Verb
bat (third-person singular simple present bats , present participle batting , simple past and past participle batted )
( transitive ) To hit with a bat or (figuratively) as if with a bat.
He batted the ball away with a satisfying thwack.
We batted a few ideas around.
( intransitive ) To take a turn at hitting a ball with a bat in sports like cricket , baseball and softball , as opposed to fielding .
( intransitive ) To strike or swipe as though with a bat.
The cat batted at the toy.
( UK , dialect , obsolete ) To bate or flutter, as a hawk .
Derived terms
Translations
Etymology 4
Possibly a variant of bate .
Verb
bat (third-person singular simple present bats , present participle batting , simple past and past participle batted )
( transitive ) To flutter
to bat one’s eyelashes
( US , UK , dialect ) To wink .
( intransitive , usually with ‘around’ or ‘about’) To flit quickly from place to place.
I’ve spent all week batting around the country.
Usage notes
Most commonly used in the phrase bat an eye , and variants thereof.
Derived terms
Etymology 5
Borrowed from French bât , from Old French bast , from Vulgar Latin *bastum , form of *bastāre ( “ to carry ” ) , from Ancient Greek βαστάζω ( bastázō , “ to lift, carry ” ) . Doublet of baton and baston .
Noun
bat (plural bats )
( obsolete ) A packsaddle .
Derived terms
Etymology 6
Noun
bat
Dated form of baht ( “ Thai currency ” ) .
Etymology 7
Noun
bat (plural bats )
( Caribbean , MLE ) Clipping of batty ( “ buttocks or anus ” ) .
Etymology 8
Noun
bat (plural bats )
( UK , dialect , obsolete ) A child's shoe without a welt .
1909 , Boot and Shoe Recorder , volume 55 , page 25 :The retailer who sells a little girl a pretty pair of shoes today instead of a pair of bats , is bound to sell that girl, when she grows up, a pair of stylish $3 or $4 shoes instead of her buying a pair of $1.98 bargain bats elsewhere.
( UK , slang , obsolete ) A boot that is badly made or in poor condition.
References
( child's shoe; boot ) : J. Wright, The English Dialect Dictionary
( boot ) : 1873 , John Camden Hotten, The Slang Dictionary
See also
Anagrams
Aromanian
Etymology
From Latin battō , from earlier battuō . Compare Daco-Romanian bat, bate .
Verb
bat first-singular present indicative (third-person singular present indicative bati or bate , past participle bãtutã )
to beat , hit , strike
to defeat
Synonyms
Basque
Etymology
From a reduced form of Proto-Basque *bade ( “ one, some ” ) , present also in bederatzi ( “ nine ” ) and bedera ( “ same; everyone ” ) .[ 1] [ 2] [ 3] Compared by Eduardo Orduña and Joan Ferrer to Iberian ban ( “ one ” ) .[ 4] [ 5]
Pronunciation
Determiner
bat (postposed )
a , an , some
( after a numeral ) some , about , around
Bidaiak hamar bat ordu iraungo du. The trip will take around ten hours.
the same
Usage notes
The determiner doesn't take the definite singular form.
Declension
Declension of Basque indefinite and related pronouns/determiners
Numeral
bat
one
Sagar bat eta lau laranja. One apple and four oranges.
Usage notes
The declension table shown in this section only applies when bat is used as a noun (usually when referring to the number itself). For other uses see the other declension tables.
Declension
Declension of bat (inanimate, ending in consonant)
Derived terms
Pronoun
bat (indefinite )
some , something , someone
Usage notes
When used as a pronoun, the definite form bata is more common in Southern dialects.
Declension
Declension of Basque indefinite and related pronouns/determiners
Derived terms
References
^ “bat ” in Etymological Dictionary of Basque by R. L. Trask , sussex.ac.uk
^ Mitxelena, Koldo L. (1961 ) Fonética histórica vasca [Basque Historical Phonetics ] (Obras completas de Luis Michelena; 1) (in Spanish), Diputación Foral de Guipuzkoa, published 1990 , →ISBN , page 134
^ “bat ”, in Orotariko Euskal Hiztegia [General Basque Dictionary ], Euskaltzaindia , 1987–2005
^ Orduña A., Eduardo (2011 ) “Los numerales ibéricos y el protovasco [Iberian numerals and Proto-Basque ]”, in Veleia (in Spanish), volume 28 , pages 125–139
^ Joan Ferrer i Jané, El sistema de numerales ibérico: avances en su conocimiento
Further reading
Catalan
Pronunciation
Etymology 1
Deverbal from batre .
Noun
bat m (plural bats )
a place exposed to the elements
Synonyms: batent , baterell
Etymology 2
Verb
bat
inflection of batre :
third-person singular present indicative
second-person singular imperative
Etymology 3
Borrowed from English bat .
Noun
bat m (plural bats )
( baseball ) bat
Derived terms
Further reading
“bat” in Diccionari de la llengua catalana, segona edició , Institut d’Estudis Catalans .
Cebuano
Pronunciation
Noun
bat
Alternative form of balat
Danish
Pronunciation
Etymology 1
From English bat .
Noun
bat n (singular definite battet , plural indefinite bat or bats )
bat ( a club for striking a ball )
Declension
Etymology 2
See the etymology of the corresponding lemma form.
Verb
bat
imperative of batte
French
Pronunciation
Verb
bat
third-person singular present indicative of battre
See also
Anagrams
German
Pronunciation
Verb
bat
first / third-person singular preterite of bitten
Haitian Creole
Etymology
From French battre ( “ beat ” ) .
Pronunciation
Verb
bat
to spank , to beat
Hokkien
Jamaican Creole
Pronunciation
IPA (key ) : /ˈbat/
Hyphenation: bat
Etymology 1
bat
(This etymology is missing or incomplete. Please add to it, or discuss it at the Etymology scriptorium .)
Noun
bat (plural bat dem , quantified bat )
moth ( nocturnal insect )
Duppy bat still a fly like hawk. Black witch moths are still flying around like hawks.
2003 , Amber Wilson, Jamaica: The Land (in English), page 30 :“Hundreds of species of butterflies and moths live in Jamaica. Jamaicans call large moths "bats ." The black witch moth is known as "the duppy bat." A duppy is a spirit in Jamaican culture that sometimes causes mischief. Duppy bats have brown [...]”
Derived terms
Etymology 2
bat
From English bat .
Noun
bat (plural bat dem , quantified bat )
bat ( instrument for hitting or striking )
When yu get one lick from me wid di bat ... yu wi know. If I hit you once with this bat , you'll understand.
Derived terms
old bat
References
Jingpho
Etymology
Borrowed from Burmese ပတ် ( pat ) .
Noun
bat
week
References
Kurabe, Keita (2016 December 31) “Phonology of Burmese loanwords in Jinghpaw”, in Kyoto University Linguistic Research , volume 35 , →DOI , →ISSN , pages 91–128
Luo
Noun
bat (plural bede )
arm
Middle Dutch
Pronunciation
Etymology 1
From Old Dutch *bath , from Proto-West Germanic *baþ .
Noun
bat n
bath
Inflection
This noun needs an inflection-table template .
Descendants
Etymology 2
From Old Dutch *bat , *bet , from Proto-Germanic *batiz .
Adverb
bat
better ; comparative degree of wel
Synonym: beter
Descendants
Etymology 3
See the etymology of the corresponding lemma form.
Verb
bat
first / third-person singular past indicative of bidden
Further reading
“bat (I) ”, in Vroegmiddelnederlands Woordenboek , 2000
“bat (III) ”, in Vroegmiddelnederlands Woordenboek , 2000
Verwijs, E. , Verdam, J. (1885–1929 ) “bat (I) ”, in Middelnederlandsch Woordenboek , The Hague: Martinus Nijhoff, →ISBN , page I
Verwijs, E. , Verdam, J. (1885–1929 ) “bet (III) ”, in Middelnederlandsch Woordenboek , The Hague: Martinus Nijhoff, →ISBN , page bet
Middle English
Etymology 1
From Old English batt , from Celtic ; influenced by Old French batte .
Pronunciation
Noun
bat (plural battes or botten )
A mace , bat , or morningstar ( blunt weapon )
( rare ) A pole or stick used for other
( rare , Late Middle English ) A strike or hit from a weapon.
( rare , Late Middle English ) A clump of soft material.
Descendants
References
Etymology 2
Noun
bat
( Northern ) Alternative form of bot ( “ boat ” )
Old English
Etymology
From Proto-West Germanic *bait .
Pronunciation
Noun
bāt m
boat
Declension
Strong a -stem:
Occasionally appears as feminine:
Strong ō -stem:
Descendants
Old French
Etymology
Borrowed from Old English bāt and Middle English bot .
Noun
bat oblique singular , m (oblique plural batz , nominative singular batz , nominative plural bat )
boat
References
Godefroy, Frédéric , Dictionnaire de l’ancienne langue française et de tous ses dialectes du IX e au XV e siècle (1881) (bat )
Old Irish
Pronunciation
Verb
bat
inflection of is :
third-person plural imperative
third-person plural present subjunctive
Mutation
Mutation of bat
radical
lenition
nasalization
bat
bat pronounced with /β(ʲ)-/
mbat
Note: Certain mutated forms of some words can never occur in Old Irish. All possible mutated forms are displayed for convenience.
Polish
bat
Pronunciation
Etymology 1
Inherited from Proto-Slavic *batъ .
Noun
bat m inan (diminutive bacik )
whip ( rod for beating )
Synonym: bicz
( slang ) joint ( marijuana cigarette )
( in the plural ) whipping , lash ( type of corporal punishment )
Synonyms: bicie , cięgi , knoty , lanie , wały
( in the plural , literary ) reproof ( criticizing )
Synonym: cięgi
( in the plural , literary ) whipping , licking , beating ( heavy defeat or setback )
Synonym: cięgi
Declension
Derived terms
Etymology 2
Either borrowed from Swedish bat [ 1] or Italian batto .[ 2]
Noun
bat m inan
bateau ( type of boat )
Declension
Etymology 3
Borrowed from Thai บาท ( bàat ) , from Sanskrit पाद ( pāda ) .
Noun
bat m animal
baht ( currency of Thailand )
Declension
References
Further reading
bat in Wielki słownik języka polskiego , Instytut Języka Polskiego PAN
bat in Polish dictionaries at PWN
Romanian
Verb
bat
inflection of bate :
first-person singular present indicative / subjunctive
third-person plural present indicative
Serbo-Croatian
Etymology 1
From Proto-Slavic *batъ .
Pronunciation
Noun
bȁt m (Cyrillic spelling ба̏т )
mallet
helve hammer
Declension
Etymology 2
Borrowed from Ottoman Turkish باصدی ( bastı ) (Turkish bastı ), from باصمق ( basmak ) (Turkish basmak ).
Pronunciation
Noun
bȃt m (Cyrillic spelling ба̑т )
The tramp of heavy footsteps, as in a military march
1939 , Čedomir Minderović, Crven je istok i zapad :Napred, sve bliže i bliže, / Čuje se koraka bat . / Glas milijona se diže: / Dole fašizam i rat! Forward, ever closer and closer, / the tramp of footsteps is heard. / The voice of millions is raised: / Down with fascism and war!
( rare ) The tramp of horses’ hooves
Declension
Etymology 3
Pronunciation
Noun
bȃt m (Cyrillic spelling ба̑т )
Alternative form of bȁht
Declension
References
“bat ”, in Hrvatski jezični portal [Croatian language portal ] (in Serbo-Croatian), 2006–2024
“bat ”, in Hrvatski jezični portal [Croatian language portal ] (in Serbo-Croatian), 2006–2024
“bat ”, in Hrvatski jezični portal [Croatian language portal ] (in Serbo-Croatian), 2006–2024
Spanish
Etymology
Borrowed from English bat .
Pronunciation
IPA (key ) : /ˈbat/
Rhymes: -at
Syllabification: bat
Noun
bat m (plural bats )
( baseball ) bat ( act of batting )
Misspelling of baht .
Tagalog
Pronunciation
Adverb
bat (Baybayin spelling ᜊᜆ᜔ )
Alternative spelling of ba't
Turkish
Verb
bat
second-person singular imperative of batmak
Tzotzil
Pronunciation
Verb
bat
( intransitive ) to go
References
Yola
Noun
bat
Alternative form of bath
1867 , “ABOUT AN OLD SOW GOING TO BE KILLED”, in SONGS, ETC. IN THE DIALECT OF FORTH AND BARGY , number 1, page 106 :Mot earch oan to aar die. Ich mosth kotch a bat . But every one to his day. I must catch the bat .
References
Jacob Poole (d. 1827) (before 1828) William Barnes, editor, A Glossary, With some Pieces of Verse, of the old Dialect of the English Colony in the Baronies of Forth and Bargy, County of Wexford, Ireland , London: J. Russell Smith, published 1867 , page 106
Yucatec Maya
Noun
bat (plural batoʼob )
hail , hailstone
Zhuang
Pronunciation
Etymology 1
From Middle Chinese 缽 ( puɑt̚ ) .
Noun
bat (Sawndip forms 朳 or 𥐙 or 鈸 or 叭 or 拔 , 1957–1982 spelling bat )
basin ; bowl
Synonym: ( dialectal ) angq
Derived terms
Classifier
bat (1957–1982 spelling bat )
basin of; bowl of
Etymology 2
From Middle Chinese 八 ( pˠɛt̚ , “ eight ” ) . Doublet of bet .
Numeral
bat (1957–1982 spelling bat )
eight ( used in compounds )
Synonym: bet