I found this sentence in the short story Two Legs for the Two of Us by James Jones. The larger context is: "George was standing in the door (...) He opened the screen (...) He grinned down at her belligerently through the dark circles and loose lips of an extended bat." What could the word "bat" mean here? None of the usual definitions listed in dictionaries seem to fit this context.
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I'm guessing that it's referring to some sort of a canvas flap or some such -- likely a localized term, and very likely something that most would spell as "batt".– Hot LicksOct 22, 2015 at 8:36
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Do you have a link to the full text? (Rathony seems to!)– chasly - supports MonicaOct 22, 2015 at 9:14
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@chaslyfromUK You can google "He grinned down at her belligerently through the dark circles and loose lips of an extended bat." and will find the full text.– user140086Oct 22, 2015 at 9:23
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That was the first thing I tried. It got me back here. EDIT - It works if I omit the quote marks.– chasly - supports MonicaOct 22, 2015 at 9:41
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In context, both characters are in the same room at that point. Could it be the bat of eyelids?– JHCLOct 22, 2015 at 10:55
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1 Answer
I think this is a baseball metaphor.
bat = a turn at batting (Merriam-Webster)
The author is using extended bat as a euphemism for a long bout of heavy drinking, the effects of which Sandy can see in George's face.
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1That's a clever idea. In fact it is very close to "an extended bout (of drinking)" google.co.uk/?gws_rd=ssl#q=bout+of+drinking Oct 22, 2015 at 9:17
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