at bat

[at bat]

adverb

Baseball.

1. taking one's turn to bat in a game.

   And now Sanchez is at bat with two runners in scoring position.

noun

Baseball.

1. a player’s turn to bat, officially recorded as such unless the batter walks, is hit by a pitch, makes a sacrifice hit, or is interfered with by the catcher.

   In her debut appearance with the Rockford Peaches, she posted two hits in three at-bats.

Word History and Origins

Origin of at bat¹

First recorded in 1880–85

Idioms and Phrases

Taking one's turn. For example, At this conference, with so many interruptions, it's hard to tell which speaker is at bat, or I was nervous while waiting to testify, but once at bat I felt better. This idiom, from baseball, was already being transferred to other enterprises by the 1880s. Also see on deck.

Example Sentences

“You know, in his first game, in three times at bat, Jackie Robinson didn’t get a hit,” he said.

From Los Angeles Times

The eighth-year Angels veteran scored on a single from Jo Adell — extending his hit streak to a career-high 11 games — in the next at bat.

From Los Angeles Times

Quickly becoming a fan favorite for the Halos faithful, Moore capped off his introductory homestand with another clutch at bat — in a week that started with a bang thanks to his two home run spectacle Tuesday against the Red Sox.

From Los Angeles Times

Mookie Betts eventually put the Dodgers in front one at bat after Ohtani’s triple, singling him home to give the Dodgers a 5-4 lead.

From Los Angeles Times

Then came her most important at bat of the season.

From Los Angeles Times