[A variant of BATE v.1; in sense 2 perh. of BATE v.2]

1

  1.  intr. To bate or flutter as a hawk.

2

1615.  Latham, Falconry (1633), Gloss., Batting, or to bat is when a Hawke fluttereth with her wings either from the pearch or the mans fist, striuing as it were to flie away.

3

  2.  trans. (dial. and in U.S.) To bat the eyes: to move the eyelids quickly, to wink.

4

1847–78.  Halliwell, Bat, to wink. Derbysh.

5

1879.  Miss Jackson, Shropsh. Word-bk., Bat, to wink, or rather to move the eyelids up and down quickly.

6

1883.  American, VI. 237. To bat the eyes, meaning to wink, when we desire to express the rapidity of the action.

7

1883.  J. Harris, in Century Mag., May, 146. You hol’ your head high; don’t you bat your eyes to please none of ’em.

8