off the bat

Definition

From the start; immediately; right away.

Etymology

From cricket, baseball, and other sports where a bat is used to strike a ball and the players have to make an immediate decision where to run and what plays to make after a successful strike.

Example Sentences

• "hot off the bat; straight off the bat"
• "I didn't see anything wrong, off the bat."
• ""We're not going to uplift the frequency until we've got the new trains. But what we've seen straight off the bat has been a big winner for our customers.""