bat
2
[ bat ]
/ bæt /
noun
any of numerous flying mammals of the order Chiroptera, of worldwide distribution in tropical and temperate regions, having modified forelimbs that serve as wings and are covered with a membranous skin extending to the hind limbs.
Idioms for bat
blind as a bat,
nearly or completely blind; having very poor vision: Anyone can tell that he's blind as a bat, but he won't wear glasses.
have bats in one's belfry, Informal.
to have crazy ideas; be very peculiar, erratic, or foolish: If you think you can row across the ocean in that boat, you have bats in your belfry.
Origin of bat
2
1570–75; apparently < Scandinavian; compare dialectal Swedish
natt-batta, variant of Old Swedish
natt-bakka night-bat; replacing Middle English
bakke (< Scand), Middle English
balke for
*blake < Scandinavian; compare dialectal Swedish
natt-blacka
OTHER WORDS FROM bat
bat·like, adjectiveWords nearby bat
bastogne,
bastrop,
basuto,
basutoland,
basw,
bat,
bat an eye,
bat around,
bat boy,
bat chayil,
bat girl
British Dictionary definitions for blind as a bat (1 of 3)
bat
1
/ (bæt) /
noun
verb bats, batting or batted
(tr)
to strike with or as if with a bat
(intr) sport
(of a player or a team) to take a turn at batting
See also
bat around
Word Origin for bat
Old English
batt club, probably of Celtic origin; compare Gaelic
bat, Russian
bat
British Dictionary definitions for blind as a bat (2 of 3)
bat
2
/ (bæt) /
noun
any placental mammal of the order Chiroptera, being a nocturnal mouselike animal flying with a pair of membranous wings (patagia). The group is divided into the Megachiroptera (fruit bats) and Microchiroptera (insectivorous bats)
Related adjective: chiropteran
slang
an irritating or eccentric woman (esp in the phrase old bat)
blind as a bat
having extremely poor eyesight
have bats in the belfry or have bats in one's belfry informal
to be mad or eccentric; have strange ideas
like a bat out of hell slang
very quickly
Derived forms of bat
batlike, adjectiveWord Origin for bat
C14
bakke, probably of Scandinavian origin; compare Old Norse
ledhrblaka leather-flapper, Swedish dialect
natt-batta night bat
British Dictionary definitions for blind as a bat (3 of 3)
bat
3
/ (bæt) /
verb bats, batting or batted (tr)
to wink or flutter (one's eyelids)
not bat an eye or not bat an eyelid informal
to show no surprise or concern
Word Origin for bat
C17: probably a variant of
bate ²
Idioms and Phrases with blind as a bat (1 of 2)
blind as a bat
Quite blind; also, unaware. For example, Without my glasses I'm blind as a bat, or I had no idea they wanted me to take over his job; I was blind as a bat. This simile, based on the erroneous idea that the bat's erratic flight means it cannot see properly, has survived even though it is now known that bats have a sophisticated built-in sonar system. [Late 1500s]
Idioms and Phrases with blind as a bat (2 of 2)
bat