1. intr. To bate or flutter as a hawk.
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.
2. trans. (dial. and in U.S.) To bat the eyes: to move the eyelids quickly, to wink.
1847–78. Halliwell, Bat, to wink. Derbysh.
1879. Miss Jackson, Shropsh. Word-bk., Bat, to wink, or rather to move the eyelids up and down quickly.
1883. American, VI. 237/2. To bat the eyes, meaning to wink, when we desire to express the rapidity of the action.
1883. J. C. Harris, in Century Mag., May, 146/2. You hol’ your head high; don’t you bat your eyes to please none of ’em.
