Etymology From Middle English batten, baten (“to beat”), from Old French batre (“to beat”), from Late Latin battere, from Latin battuere, of uncertain origin; perhaps of Germanic or Celtic origin. In modern English reinterpreted as a verbal derivative of Etymology 2. Compare batter, battery.
1
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.
2
To take a turn at hitting a ball with a bat in sports like cricket, baseball and softball, as opposed to fielding.
Etymology Dialectal variant of Middle English bakke, balke, of North Germanic origin (akin to dialectal Swedish natt-batta). Perhaps compare Old Norse (leðr)blaka (literally “(leather) flapper”), from leðr + blaka (“to flap”). Compare also Old Swedish natbakka, Old Danish nathbakkæ.
1
Any flying mammal of the order Chiroptera, usually small and nocturnal, insectivorous or frugivorous.
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.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:
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.2012, Suemedha Sood, (bbc.co.uk) Travelwise: Texas love bats [sic]
Usually, With ‘around’ or ‘about’ To flit quickly from place to place.
I’ve spent all week batting around the country.
The "Star" is batting along at about a mile a minute, chattering away at the chimney and snatching small coal off the shovel.1956 February, W. A. Tuplin, “Hot Work on a "Star"”, in Railway Magazine, page 88:
Etymology 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 battuō (“to beat, pound”).
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.1842, Sporting Magazine, page 251:
a vast host of fowl […] making at full bat for the North Sea.1898, unknown author, Pall Mall Magazine:
12
US, Dated, Slang A spree; a jollification; a binge, jag.
So ſlides he dovvne vppon his greyned bat; / And comely diſtant ſits he by her ſide, […]1609, William Shakespeare, “A Louers Complaint”, in Shake-speares Sonnets. […], London: By G[eorge] Eld for T[homas] T[horpe] and are to be sold by William Aspley, →OCLC, signature K2, verso:
Etymology 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.
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.1909, Boot and Shoe Recorder, volume 55, page 25:
2
UK, Obsolete, Slang A boot that is badly made or in poor condition.