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Synonyms

bats

American  
[bats] / bæts /

adjective

Slang.
  1. insane; crazy.

    He's gone bats.


bats British  
/ bæts /

adjective

  1. informal crazy; very eccentric

"Collins English Dictionary — Complete & Unabridged" 2012 Digital Edition © William Collins Sons & Co. Ltd. 1979, 1986 © HarperCollins Publishers 1998, 2000, 2003, 2005, 2006, 2007, 2009, 2012

Etymology

Origin of bats

First recorded in 1915–20; see origin at bat 2, -s 3

Example Sentences

Examples are provided to illustrate real-world usage of words in context. Any opinions expressed do not reflect the views of Dictionary.com.

First identified in 1976 and believed to have originated in bats, Ebola is a deadly viral disease spread through direct contact with bodily fluids.

From Barron's • May 19, 2026

Ebola viruses normally infect animals, typically fruit bats, but outbreaks among humans can sometimes start when people eat or handle infected animals.

From BBC • May 18, 2026

Scientists believe African fruit bats may be the source of the viruses that cause Ebola, according to the CDC.

From The Wall Street Journal • May 18, 2026

Most Ebola spillover events, which is when a virus like Ebola is transmitted to humans, occur in miners working deep in caves where bats live.

From MarketWatch • May 17, 2026

He also knew they were eating mosquitoes—he’d read about them in biology—and he thought, Get some, bats.

From "The River" by Gary Paulsen

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