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Why is “bat down†not listed in any of major English dictionaries as an idiom?
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I came across the following passage in September 17 “The Hill.†under the headline, “Trump says Kavanaugh may be delayed.â€Â:
“If it takes a little delay it’ll take a little delay.†Trump told
reporters at the White House. I’m sure it will work out very well.â€Â
Trump batted down a reporter who asked if Kavanaugh should withdraw,
calling it a “ridiculous question.â€Â
I took “bat down†as “snub†or “shut out,†and consulted online dictionaries to make it sure, and found none of them including Oxford, Cambridge, and Collins Cobuild listed “bat down,†though they list “beat down,†“pat down,†“sat down,†and you can name it.
An online English / French dictionary translates “bat down†as “dėmolir.â€Â
Google N gram shows that the use of “bat down†started in mid 19 century. It soared up in mid 20 century, dropped once, and regaining currency since 1990s.
I wonder exact meaning of “bat down,†and why the phrase is not shown in major dictionaries.
idiom-meaning
asked 1 hour ago
Yoichi Oishi♦
34.4k104348722
add a comment |Â
up vote
1
down vote
favorite
I came across the following passage in September 17 “The Hill.†under the headline, “Trump says Kavanaugh may be delayed.â€Â:
“If it takes a little delay it’ll take a little delay.†Trump told
reporters at the White House. I’m sure it will work out very well.â€Â
Trump batted down a reporter who asked if Kavanaugh should withdraw,
calling it a “ridiculous question.â€Â
I took “bat down†as “snub†or “shut out,†and consulted online dictionaries to make it sure, and found none of them including Oxford, Cambridge, and Collins Cobuild listed “bat down,†though they list “beat down,†“pat down,†“sat down,†and you can name it.
An online English / French dictionary translates “bat down†as “dėmolir.â€Â
Google N gram shows that the use of “bat down†started in mid 19 century. It soared up in mid 20 century, dropped once, and regaining currency since 1990s.
I wonder exact meaning of “bat down,†and why the phrase is not shown in major dictionaries.
idiom-meaning
asked 1 hour ago
Yoichi Oishi♦
34.4k104348722
I think there is a mishearing or a transposition going on. 'Pat down' is idiomatic and conveys the searching of someone by use of the hands in a patting motion. 'Bat away' is the use of hands to swipe away, say a wasp or bee. I suspect the writer of the piece is mixing idioms, myself.
– Nigel J
45 mins ago
add a comment |Â
up vote
1
down vote
favorite
up vote
1
down vote
favorite
I came across the following passage in September 17 “The Hill.†under the headline, “Trump says Kavanaugh may be delayed.â€Â:
“If it takes a little delay it’ll take a little delay.†Trump told
reporters at the White House. I’m sure it will work out very well.â€Â
Trump batted down a reporter who asked if Kavanaugh should withdraw,
calling it a “ridiculous question.â€Â
I took “bat down†as “snub†or “shut out,†and consulted online dictionaries to make it sure, and found none of them including Oxford, Cambridge, and Collins Cobuild listed “bat down,†though they list “beat down,†“pat down,†“sat down,†and you can name it.
An online English / French dictionary translates “bat down†as “dėmolir.â€Â
Google N gram shows that the use of “bat down†started in mid 19 century. It soared up in mid 20 century, dropped once, and regaining currency since 1990s.
I wonder exact meaning of “bat down,†and why the phrase is not shown in major dictionaries.
idiom-meaning
asked 1 hour ago
Yoichi Oishi♦
34.4k104348722
I came across the following passage in September 17 “The Hill.†under the headline, “Trump says Kavanaugh may be delayed.â€Â:
“If it takes a little delay it’ll take a little delay.†Trump told
reporters at the White House. I’m sure it will work out very well.â€Â
Trump batted down a reporter who asked if Kavanaugh should withdraw,
calling it a “ridiculous question.â€Â
I took “bat down†as “snub†or “shut out,†and consulted online dictionaries to make it sure, and found none of them including Oxford, Cambridge, and Collins Cobuild listed “bat down,†though they list “beat down,†“pat down,†“sat down,†and you can name it.
An online English / French dictionary translates “bat down†as “dėmolir.â€Â
Google N gram shows that the use of “bat down†started in mid 19 century. It soared up in mid 20 century, dropped once, and regaining currency since 1990s.
I wonder exact meaning of “bat down,†and why the phrase is not shown in major dictionaries.
idiom-meaning
idiom-meaning
asked 1 hour ago
Yoichi Oishi♦
34.4k104348722
asked 1 hour ago
Yoichi Oishi♦
34.4k104348722
edited 1 hour ago
asked 1 hour ago
Yoichi Oishi♦
34.4k104348722
asked 1 hour ago
Yoichi Oishi♦
34.4k104348722
asked 1 hour ago
Yoichi Oishi♦
34.4k104348722
34.4k104348722
I think there is a mishearing or a transposition going on. 'Pat down' is idiomatic and conveys the searching of someone by use of the hands in a patting motion. 'Bat away' is the use of hands to swipe away, say a wasp or bee. I suspect the writer of the piece is mixing idioms, myself.
– Nigel J
45 mins ago
add a comment |Â
I think there is a mishearing or a transposition going on. 'Pat down' is idiomatic and conveys the searching of someone by use of the hands in a patting motion. 'Bat away' is the use of hands to swipe away, say a wasp or bee. I suspect the writer of the piece is mixing idioms, myself.
– Nigel J
45 mins ago
I think there is a mishearing or a transposition going on. 'Pat down' is idiomatic and conveys the searching of someone by use of the hands in a patting motion. 'Bat away' is the use of hands to swipe away, say a wasp or bee. I suspect the writer of the piece is mixing idioms, myself.
– Nigel J
45 mins ago
I think there is a mishearing or a transposition going on. 'Pat down' is idiomatic and conveys the searching of someone by use of the hands in a patting motion. 'Bat away' is the use of hands to swipe away, say a wasp or bee. I suspect the writer of the piece is mixing idioms, myself.
– Nigel J
45 mins ago
add a comment |Â
2 Answers
2
active
oldest
votes
up vote
6
down vote
The expression doesn't come from baseball, but from the more general sense of "strike with a baton". When you "bat" something, you hit it with the palm of your palm off your hand, and generally without much concern where it goes, so long as it goes away from you.
If a question is "batted away" or "batted down", it is dismissed without much concern, or much grace.
answered 1 hour ago
Malvolio
24k84684
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up vote
0
down vote
the closest sounding idiom is batten down the hatches, but with an entirely different meaning. TFD
To bat down is not idiomatic ... it simply means to knock someone or something down as if with a bat, and in Trump's case it is figuratively done.
As in:
Trump dismissed/ knocked down (fig.) a reporter who asked if
Kavanaugh should withdraw, calling it a “ridiculous question.â€Â
answered 1 hour ago
lbf
12.9k21353
1
That's only very loosely connected. When batten down the hatches, you fasten the hatches with a piece of wood called, of course, a batten, thereby rendering your watercraft more capable of weathering high seas. When "bat down" something, you strike it with a piece of wood called a "bat" or "baton". Etymologically, the words are all related, but the phrases have a very different history.
– Malvolio
58 mins ago
@Malvolio noted and so edited.
– lbf
52 mins ago
add a comment |Â
2 Answers
2
active
oldest
votes
2 Answers
2
active
oldest
votes
active
oldest
votes
active
oldest
votes
up vote
6
down vote
The expression doesn't come from baseball, but from the more general sense of "strike with a baton". When you "bat" something, you hit it with the palm of your palm off your hand, and generally without much concern where it goes, so long as it goes away from you.
If a question is "batted away" or "batted down", it is dismissed without much concern, or much grace.
answered 1 hour ago
Malvolio
24k84684
add a comment |Â
up vote
6
down vote
The expression doesn't come from baseball, but from the more general sense of "strike with a baton". When you "bat" something, you hit it with the palm of your palm off your hand, and generally without much concern where it goes, so long as it goes away from you.
If a question is "batted away" or "batted down", it is dismissed without much concern, or much grace.
answered 1 hour ago
Malvolio
24k84684
add a comment |Â
up vote
6
down vote
up vote
6
down vote
The expression doesn't come from baseball, but from the more general sense of "strike with a baton". When you "bat" something, you hit it with the palm of your palm off your hand, and generally without much concern where it goes, so long as it goes away from you.
If a question is "batted away" or "batted down", it is dismissed without much concern, or much grace.
answered 1 hour ago
Malvolio
24k84684
The expression doesn't come from baseball, but from the more general sense of "strike with a baton". When you "bat" something, you hit it with the palm of your palm off your hand, and generally without much concern where it goes, so long as it goes away from you.
If a question is "batted away" or "batted down", it is dismissed without much concern, or much grace.
answered 1 hour ago
Malvolio
24k84684
answered 1 hour ago
Malvolio
24k84684
answered 1 hour ago
Malvolio
24k84684
answered 1 hour ago
Malvolio
24k84684
24k84684
add a comment |Â
add a comment |Â
up vote
0
down vote
the closest sounding idiom is batten down the hatches, but with an entirely different meaning. TFD
To bat down is not idiomatic ... it simply means to knock someone or something down as if with a bat, and in Trump's case it is figuratively done.
As in:
Trump dismissed/ knocked down (fig.) a reporter who asked if
Kavanaugh should withdraw, calling it a “ridiculous question.â€Â
answered 1 hour ago
lbf
12.9k21353
1
That's only very loosely connected. When batten down the hatches, you fasten the hatches with a piece of wood called, of course, a batten, thereby rendering your watercraft more capable of weathering high seas. When "bat down" something, you strike it with a piece of wood called a "bat" or "baton". Etymologically, the words are all related, but the phrases have a very different history.
– Malvolio
58 mins ago
@Malvolio noted and so edited.
– lbf
52 mins ago
add a comment |Â
up vote
0
down vote
the closest sounding idiom is batten down the hatches, but with an entirely different meaning. TFD
To bat down is not idiomatic ... it simply means to knock someone or something down as if with a bat, and in Trump's case it is figuratively done.
As in:
Trump dismissed/ knocked down (fig.) a reporter who asked if
Kavanaugh should withdraw, calling it a “ridiculous question.â€Â
answered 1 hour ago
lbf
12.9k21353
1
That's only very loosely connected. When batten down the hatches, you fasten the hatches with a piece of wood called, of course, a batten, thereby rendering your watercraft more capable of weathering high seas. When "bat down" something, you strike it with a piece of wood called a "bat" or "baton". Etymologically, the words are all related, but the phrases have a very different history.
– Malvolio
58 mins ago
@Malvolio noted and so edited.
– lbf
52 mins ago
add a comment |Â
up vote
0
down vote
up vote
0
down vote
the closest sounding idiom is batten down the hatches, but with an entirely different meaning. TFD
To bat down is not idiomatic ... it simply means to knock someone or something down as if with a bat, and in Trump's case it is figuratively done.
As in:
Trump dismissed/ knocked down (fig.) a reporter who asked if
Kavanaugh should withdraw, calling it a “ridiculous question.â€Â
answered 1 hour ago
lbf
12.9k21353
the closest sounding idiom is batten down the hatches, but with an entirely different meaning. TFD
To bat down is not idiomatic ... it simply means to knock someone or something down as if with a bat, and in Trump's case it is figuratively done.
As in:
Trump dismissed/ knocked down (fig.) a reporter who asked if
Kavanaugh should withdraw, calling it a “ridiculous question.â€Â
answered 1 hour ago
lbf
12.9k21353
edited 52 mins ago
answered 1 hour ago
lbf
12.9k21353
answered 1 hour ago
lbf
12.9k21353
answered 1 hour ago
lbf
12.9k21353
12.9k21353
1
That's only very loosely connected. When batten down the hatches, you fasten the hatches with a piece of wood called, of course, a batten, thereby rendering your watercraft more capable of weathering high seas. When "bat down" something, you strike it with a piece of wood called a "bat" or "baton". Etymologically, the words are all related, but the phrases have a very different history.
– Malvolio
58 mins ago
@Malvolio noted and so edited.
– lbf
52 mins ago
add a comment |Â
1
That's only very loosely connected. When batten down the hatches, you fasten the hatches with a piece of wood called, of course, a batten, thereby rendering your watercraft more capable of weathering high seas. When "bat down" something, you strike it with a piece of wood called a "bat" or "baton". Etymologically, the words are all related, but the phrases have a very different history.
– Malvolio
58 mins ago
@Malvolio noted and so edited.
– lbf
52 mins ago
1
1
That's only very loosely connected. When batten down the hatches, you fasten the hatches with a piece of wood called, of course, a batten, thereby rendering your watercraft more capable of weathering high seas. When "bat down" something, you strike it with a piece of wood called a "bat" or "baton". Etymologically, the words are all related, but the phrases have a very different history.
– Malvolio
58 mins ago
That's only very loosely connected. When batten down the hatches, you fasten the hatches with a piece of wood called, of course, a batten, thereby rendering your watercraft more capable of weathering high seas. When "bat down" something, you strike it with a piece of wood called a "bat" or "baton". Etymologically, the words are all related, but the phrases have a very different history.
– Malvolio
58 mins ago
@Malvolio noted and so edited.
– lbf
52 mins ago
@Malvolio noted and so edited.
– lbf
52 mins ago
add a comment |Â
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I think there is a mishearing or a transposition going on. 'Pat down' is idiomatic and conveys the searching of someone by use of the hands in a patting motion. 'Bat away' is the use of hands to swipe away, say a wasp or bee. I suspect the writer of the piece is mixing idioms, myself.
– Nigel J
45 mins ago