Batting 1000 Or Batting A Thousand - WordReference Forums

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You are using an out of date browser. It may not display this or other websites correctly.You should upgrade or use an alternative browser. batting 1000 or batting a thousand

• Thread starter Thread starter danielxu85
• Start date Start date Jun 13, 2008

D

danielxu85

Senior Member

Qingdao Mandarin Chinese I think that this is a baseball metaphor. Every time a player went to bat he succesfully got on base. I keep wondering how I may use it in a non-sport context. It seems impossible for someone to have a perfect track record. Is it often used in negation? Could I use it the following way? Mary is a perfectionist in study. She tries to bat 1000 in every exam.

ascension

Senior Member

New York English-United States Yes, it is a baseball metaphor. I wouldn't say it's very common, but I've heard it and it certainly makes sense. The way you used it sounds perfect to me, though very informal. I'm not sure if there's a standard way of writing it or not.

cuchuflete

Senior Member

Maine, EEUU EEUU-inglés

danielxu85 said: I think that this is a baseball metaphor. Every time a player went to bat he succesfully got on base. Click to expand...

Every time he went to bat he got a hit, or reached base on an error, or walked. Is it often used in negation? No.

Could I use it the following way? Mary is a perfectionist in study. She tries to bat 1000 in every exam. Click to expand...

That doesn't sound at all natural to me. The expression 'batting a thousand' is more common. If you google that phrase, you will find idiomatic uses such as this:

Chinese Herbal Medicine In my eyes, Chinese herbal medicine is batting a thousand. For each of three problems, the Chinese herbs have had an immediate, beneficial effect. ... Click to expand...

T

the_del_star

Senior Member

Southern California USA, English Batting a thousand is actually batting 1.000. Batting Averages are measured in thousandths. So batting five hundred is actually .500, which is 50 percent. So batting a thousand is correct, and batting 1000 isn't.

sdgraham

Senior Member

Oregon, USA USA English

danielxu85 said: Could I use it the following way? Mary is a perfectionist in study. She tries to bat 1000 in every exam. Click to expand...

You could, but metaphors have a way of becoming clichés - and good writers avoid clichés. (Clichés - avoid them like the plague.) U

Unknoewn13

Senior Member

New Jersey English - American It could definitely be used in a positive way, but I often hear it in a way that's making fun of someone. For example, if a student answers five questions in a row wrong, a classmate might say "Wow, you're batting a thousand" (or more likely "Wow, battin' a thousand") to mean that you've gotten every single thing wrong. It could just as easily be used to mean someone has gotten every single thing right. You must log in or register to reply here. Share: Bluesky LinkedIn WhatsApp Email Share Link

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