bat a thousand

1. In baseball, to get a hit every time one is at bat (resulting in a batting average of 1.000). The slugger is still batting a thousand after a record eight at-bats. Yeah, that guy's not exactly batting a thousand—he's been ice cold at the plate lately. I don't expect to be batting a thousand, but I'd sure like to be batting more than .182!

2. By extension, to be successful in an endeavor or in multiple areas of one's life. I'm really batting a thousand this week—I got an A on my exam, I got the lead in the school play, and I won the poetry contest! Whoa, you got that big promotion too? You're really batting a thousand! No, I wouldn't say I'm batting a thousand this morning—I spilled coffee on myself and was late to work.

bat one thousand

Have a perfect record, as in In meeting deadlines, she's batting one thousand. The term comes from baseball statistics, where it signifies getting a hit for every turn at bat. It was transferred to other activities in the 1920s.

bat a thousand

be enjoying great success. US informal

The metaphor comes from baseball, where someone who was literally ‘batting a thousand’ would have a very high batting average.

2002 DVD Verdict Their first film, Suture , garnered them serious critical acclaim and with The Deep End , they are now batting a thousand.

bat a ˈthousand

(American English, informal) be very successful: He’s made another sale? He’s really batting a thousand!