Bats are interesting creatures that live all over the United States. People have noticed bats for many years, and they have made special sayings, called idioms, about them. These idioms use bats to help explain ideas or feelings in a fun and easy way.
In this article, we will learn about some common idioms about bats. We will talk about what they mean and how Americans use them in everyday life. After that, there will be a quiz to help you test what you’ve learned. This will be a simple way to enjoy learning about bats and the language connected to them.
Idioms About Bats
1. Bat an eye
Meaning: To show surprise or shock.
Example Sentence:
- She didn’t bat an eye when she saw the big spider.
- He didn’t bat an eye when he heard the news.
Other ways to say: Blink, show no surprise
Fun Fact/Origin: This phrase comes from how bats use their quick eye movements to see in the dark.
Usage: Used when someone is not surprised or shocked by something.
2. Go batty
Meaning: To go crazy or act strangely.
Example Sentence:
- The kids went batty waiting for the school bus.
- He went batty after losing his keys.
Other ways to say: Go nuts, act crazy
Fun Fact/Origin: Bats are sometimes seen as wild or strange animals, leading to this phrase.
Usage: Used when someone behaves in a crazy or silly way.
3. Blind as a bat
Meaning: To have very poor eyesight.
Example Sentence:
- Without his glasses, he’s blind as a bat.
- I’m blind as a bat when I forget my contacts.
Other ways to say: Poor sight, can’t see well
Fun Fact/Origin: Bats actually have good eyesight, but this phrase started because they use echolocation instead of relying only on sight.
Usage: Used to describe someone who can’t see well.
4. Like a bat out of hell
Meaning: To move very fast.
Example Sentence:
- He ran like a bat out of hell to catch the bus.
- The car sped away like a bat out of hell.
Other ways to say: Very fast, quickly
Fun Fact/Origin: Bats can fly very quickly when they need to escape.
Usage: Used to describe something or someone moving very fast.
5. Night owl (related idiom)
Meaning: A person who stays up late at night.
Example Sentence:
- She’s a night owl and loves to read after midnight.
- I’m a night owl, so I study best at night.
Other ways to say: Late sleeper, night person
Fun Fact/Origin: Though owls aren’t bats, both are active at night, so this idiom is often linked to nighttime activity.
Usage: Used to describe people who prefer being awake late.
6. Bat around ideas
Meaning: To discuss or think about different ideas.
Example Sentence:
- We batted around ideas for the science project.
- The team batted around ideas before deciding on the plan.
Other ways to say: Discuss, brainstorm
Fun Fact/Origin: The phrase comes from the way bats fly in different directions, like ideas being tossed around.
Usage: Used when people share or think about ideas together.
7. As blind as a bat
Meaning: Similar to “blind as a bat,” meaning very poor eyesight.
Example Sentence:
- Without his reading glasses, he’s as blind as a bat.
- I was as blind as a bat without my sunglasses on a sunny day.
Other ways to say: Poor vision, can’t see clearly
Fun Fact/Origin: This expression has been used for many years in the USA.
Usage: Used to describe difficulty seeing clearly.
8. Bat signal
Meaning: A sign or message calling for help or attention.
Example Sentence:
- When the school needed help, they sent out a bat signal to parents.
- The manager used email as a bat signal to get the team together.
Other ways to say: Call for help, alert
Fun Fact/Origin: The bat signal is famous from Batman comics where a light in the sky calls Batman for help.
Usage: Used when someone wants to get help or alert others.
9. Bat out of the belfry
Meaning: To act crazy or silly.
Example Sentence:
- After hearing the strange news, he was acting like a bat out of the belfry.
- The kids went bat out of the belfry when the power went out.
Other ways to say: Go crazy, act wild
Fun Fact/Origin: The “belfry” is the tower of a church where bats were once thought to hide.
Usage: Used to describe wild or crazy behavior.
10. Bat someone’s way
Meaning: To try to get someone’s approval or favor.
Example Sentence:
- He tried to bat his way into the team by helping everyone.
- She’s batting her way to the teacher’s good side.
Other ways to say: Flatter, seek favor
Fun Fact/Origin: Comes from the idea of bats fluttering to get attention.
Usage: Used when someone tries to win favor with others.
11. Bat the breeze
Meaning: To talk casually or chat.
Example Sentence:
- They batted the breeze for hours after the game.
- I love to bat the breeze with my neighbors on weekends.
Other ways to say: Chat, talk casually
Fun Fact/Origin: “Breeze” here means light conversation.
Usage: Used when people enjoy relaxed talking.
12. Bat a thousand
Meaning: To be very successful or perfect at something.
Example Sentence:
- She batted a thousand on her math test.
- The team batted a thousand this season, winning every game.
Other ways to say: Perfect score, total success
Fun Fact/Origin: Comes from baseball where “batting a thousand” means hitting perfectly.
Usage: Used to describe perfect success.
13. Bat eyes wide open
Meaning: To be very alert and watchful.
Example Sentence:
- When walking home at night, keep your bat eyes wide open.
- The guard kept his bat eyes wide open during the event.
Other ways to say: Watchful, alert
Fun Fact/Origin: Bats have very sharp senses, so this means to be very careful.
Usage: Used when someone needs to pay close attention.
14. Bat out of the cave
Meaning: To leave very quickly.
Example Sentence:
- As soon as class was over, she left like a bat out of the cave.
- The kids ran out like bats out of the cave at recess.
Other ways to say: Rush out, leave fast
Fun Fact/Origin: Bats fly out of caves very fast when they go hunting.
Usage: Used when someone leaves a place in a hurry.
15. Bat one’s lashes
Meaning: To flutter eyelashes to get attention or show flirtation.
Example Sentence:
- She batted her lashes to get his attention.
- He noticed her batting her lashes across the room.
Other ways to say: Flutter eyelashes, flirt
Fun Fact/Origin: The fluttering of eyelashes looks like a quick bat movement.
Usage: Used to describe someone trying to charm or flirt.
16. Batten down the hatches
Meaning: To prepare for trouble or difficult times.
Example Sentence:
- We need to batten down the hatches before the storm hits.
- The team battened down the hatches before the big test.
Other ways to say: Prepare, get ready
Fun Fact/Origin: This phrase comes from sailing, but is often used when facing challenges.
Usage: Used when people get ready for something tough.
17. Bat a thousand and one
Meaning: To be extremely successful for a very long time.
Example Sentence:
- She’s batted a thousand and one with every project she’s done.
- The player batted a thousand and one in the whole season.
Other ways to say: Perfect success, never failing
Fun Fact/Origin: A playful extension of “bat a thousand” meaning even better.
Usage: Used to praise someone’s ongoing success.
18. Bat wings
Meaning: Refers to something shaped like a bat’s wings or used to describe something scary or odd.
Example Sentence:
- The Halloween decorations had big bat wings.
- Her shadow looked like bat wings in the dark.
Other ways to say: Wing-shaped, scary wings
Fun Fact/Origin: Bats have distinct wing shapes that people recognize easily.
Usage: Used in descriptions or to create spooky effects.
19. Bat out of the dark
Meaning: To appear suddenly and quickly.
Example Sentence:
- The cat ran bat out of the dark when it heard a noise.
- He came bat out of the dark to surprise his friends.
Other ways to say: Appear suddenly, rush out
Fun Fact/Origin: Bats often fly out suddenly from dark places.
Usage: Used when someone or something appears fast without warning.
20. Bat country
Meaning: A strange or wild place.
Example Sentence:
- The new city felt like bat country to the visitors.
- His imagination took him to bat country during the story.
Other ways to say: Wild place, strange area
Fun Fact/Origin: Comes from the phrase “bat country” meaning a place full of bats or odd things.
Usage: Used to describe unfamiliar or wild places.
21. Bat eyes
Meaning: Big, bright eyes that look alert or innocent.
Example Sentence:
- She gave him her best bat eyes to ask for a favor.
- The puppy had big bat eyes that melted everyone’s hearts.
Other ways to say: Wide eyes, big eyes
Fun Fact/Origin: Bats have noticeable eyes that people often describe as expressive.
Usage: Used to describe someone’s eyes showing emotion.
22. Bat cave
Meaning: A secret or private place.
Example Sentence:
- The basement was his bat cave where he kept all his games.
- She called her room her bat cave because she liked to be alone.
Other ways to say: Private space, hideout
Fun Fact/Origin: From Batman’s secret hideout called the Batcave.
Usage: Used to describe a place where someone feels safe or private.
23. Batty for
Meaning: To really like or be crazy about something.
Example Sentence:
- She’s batty for chocolate ice cream.
- He’s batty for baseball and watches every game.
Other ways to say: Crazy about, love
Fun Fact/Origin: “Batty” comes from bats being seen as wild or odd.
Usage: Used to show strong liking or enthusiasm.
24. Bat off
Meaning: To avoid or get rid of something.
Example Sentence:
- He tried to bat off the question during the interview.
- She batted off the extra work by asking for help.
Other ways to say: Avoid, push away
Fun Fact/Origin: Comes from bats swinging their wings to avoid danger.
Usage: Used when someone tries to avoid something.
25. Bat the odds
Meaning: To try to succeed despite difficulties.
Example Sentence:
- The team batted the odds to win the championship.
- She batted the odds and got the job even though it was tough.
Other ways to say: Fight against chances, overcome difficulties
Fun Fact/Origin: Comes from trying to “bat” or fight against challenges like a bat hits a ball.
Usage: Used when someone tries hard to succeed against the odds.
26. Bat at shadows
Meaning: To try to fight or deal with something that isn’t real or clear.
Example Sentence:
- He was just batting at shadows instead of focusing on the real problem.
- Sometimes we bat at shadows and worry about things that aren’t true.
Other ways to say: Fight illusions, chase ghosts
Fun Fact/Origin: Bats sometimes fly at shadows, mistaking them for insects.
Usage: Used when someone deals with imaginary problems.
27. Bat a quick eye
Meaning: To look quickly or glance fast.
Example Sentence:
- She batted a quick eye around the room before speaking.
- He batted a quick eye at the clock and realized he was late.
Other ways to say: Glance, look briefly
Fun Fact/Origin: Bats have fast eye movements to catch prey.
Usage: Used to describe a quick look.
28. Bat up
Meaning: To prepare or get ready for something.
Example Sentence:
- They batted up before the big game started.
- We need to bat up before the presentation tomorrow.
Other ways to say: Get ready, prepare
Fun Fact/Origin: Comes from baseball where batters prepare before hitting.
Usage: Used when someone gets ready for an event or challenge.
Quiz: Idioms About Bats
Instructions: Choose the best answer for each question about idioms related to bats.
Question Key
1. What does “bat an eye” mean?
A) To blink a lot
B) To show surprise
C) To close your eyes
2. If someone “goes batty,” what are they doing?
A) Acting crazy
B) Flying like a bat
C) Sleeping
3. What does “blind as a bat” describe?
A) Someone who can’t see well
B) Someone who flies at night
C) Someone who is very fast
4. When a person leaves “like a bat out of hell,” how do they move?
A) Slowly
B) Very fast
C) Quietly
5. What does it mean to “bat around ideas”?
A) To throw a ball
B) To think or talk about ideas
C) To ignore ideas
6. What is a “bat signal”?
A) A message asking for help
B) A type of bat
C) A flying move
7. If someone is “batting their lashes,” what are they doing?
A) Closing their eyes tightly
B) Fluttering eyelashes to get attention
C) Looking away
8. What does it mean to “batten down the hatches”?
A) To fix a roof
B) To prepare for trouble
C) To open windows
9. If someone is “batty for” something, what does that mean?
A) They dislike it
B) They really like it
C) They are afraid of it
10. What does “bat at shadows” mean?
A) Fighting real enemies
B) Dealing with things that aren’t real
C) Looking for light
Answer Key
- B) To show surprise
- A) Acting crazy
- A) Someone who can’t see well
- B) Very fast
- B) To think or talk about ideas
- A) A message asking for help
- B) Fluttering eyelashes to get attention
- B) To prepare for trouble
- B) They really like it
- B) Dealing with things that aren’t real
Wrapping Up
Idioms about bats are fun ways Americans describe actions and feelings. These phrases come from how bats behave or how people imagine them. Whether it’s moving fast, acting crazy, or preparing for something, these idioms add color to everyday talk.
Knowing these idioms helps understand conversations better and makes speaking more interesting. They are used by many people in the USA to explain things quickly and clearly. Keep practicing, and you’ll get the hang of these bat-related sayings in no time.
