to carry one's bat
Preserved but no longer current.
Meaning · English
Said of a cricketer who is "not out" at the close of the game. Hence, figuratively, to outlast one's opponents, to succeed in one's undertaking.
Era: ca. 1898 (Victorian)
Sources & notes
Reproduced from Brewer’s Dictionary of Phrase and Fable (1898 edition, public domain; archive.org, retrieved 2026-07-31; OCR text, minor errors possible). Reflects the scholarship and attitudes of its era.
Common questions
What does “to carry one's bat” mean?
Said of a cricketer who is "not out" at the close of the game. Hence, figuratively, to outlast one's opponents, to succeed in one's undertaking.
Is “to carry one's bat” formal or informal?
No register label has been reviewed yet — treat it as neutral and check the usage notes above.