go to bat for


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Related to go to bat for: go over, straight off the bat

go to bat for (one)

To act in support of one. Since you know the recruiter, do you think you can go to bat for me? I really need this job. Thankfully, my manager went to bat for me when the company was looking to lay off employees. Of course I'll go to bat for you with the headmaster—I know you had nothing to do with this prank.
See also: bat, for, go, to
Farlex Dictionary of Idioms. © 2024 Farlex, Inc, all rights reserved.

go to bat for someone

Fig. to support or help someone. I tried to go to bat for Bill, but he said he didn't want any help. I heard them gossiping about Sally, so I went to bat for her.
See also: bat, for, go, to
McGraw-Hill Dictionary of American Idioms and Phrasal Verbs. © 2002 by The McGraw-Hill Companies, Inc.

go to bat for

Take the side of, support, defend. For example, Dad will always go to bat for his kids. This term originated in baseball, where it means simply substituting for another batter, but it is the idea of helping one's team in this way that has been transferred to more general use. [Slang; early 1900s]
See also: bat, for, go, to
The American Heritage® Dictionary of Idioms by Christine Ammer. Copyright © 2003, 1997 by The Christine Ammer 1992 Trust. Published by Houghton Mifflin Harcourt Publishing Company. All rights reserved.

go to bat for

To give assistance to; defend.
See also: bat, for, go, to
American Heritage® Dictionary of the English Language, Fifth Edition. Copyright © 2016 by Houghton Mifflin Harcourt Publishing Company. Published by Houghton Mifflin Harcourt Publishing Company. All rights reserved.
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References in periodicals archive ?
But there is no one else to go to bat for black men.
There was never any other strategic reason to go to bat for Albanian guerrillas.