Where does “bat an eyelid” come from?
bat an eyelid (English) comes from English bat, from French bât, from Old French bast, from Vulgar Latin bastum, from Latin bastāre, from Ancient Greek βαστάζω — to lift, lift up, raise; to bear, carry; to carry...
bat an eyelid (English): To react in any slight way; to respond
Definitions
- To react in any slight way; to respond
Ancestry of “bat an eyelid”, step by step
| Step | Language | Word | Meaning |
|---|
| 1 | English | bat | Any of the flying mammals of the order... |
| 2 | French | bât | packsaddle |
| 3 | Old French | bast | packsaddle |
| 4 | Vulgar Latin | bastum | A stick |
| 5 | Latin | bastāre | — |
| 6 | Ancient Greek | βαστάζω | to lift, lift up, raise; to bear, carry; to carry... |