Idioms

off your own bat

This page is about the idiom off your own bat

British English

Meaning

If you do something off your own bat, you do it without being asked to or told to.

For example

  • I didn't tell the gardener to cut down the tree. He did it off his own bat.

  • One of the actresses decided, off her own bat, to change her lines in the movie. The director wasn't happy.

Origin: Possibly related to the game of cricket, in which a player scores runs by hitting the ball "off his own bat".

Variety

This idiom is typically used in British English but may be used in other varieties of English too.

Quick Quiz

The production manager decided, off his own bat, to change the quality of the raw materials used in the factory. He did it

a. without being asked to

b. without planning to do it

c. without knowing much about it
a) without being asked to b) without planning to do it c) without knowing much about it
off your own bat

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Common English Idioms

Contributor: Matt Errey