bats away

Verb

bat away (third-person singular simple present bats away, present participle batting away, simple past and past participle batted away)

1. To knock an object, usually a ball, away from oneself.
   • The ball can still be batted away with one or both hands. It can be batted from a player's hands or batted away during a shot.
2. To avoid by diverting the focus of a discussion.
   • For his part, Hank Paulson, the US Treasury Secretary - asked about the impact of US energy policies on food prices on Friday - tried to bat away the question.2008 April 13, Robin McKie, Heather Stewart, “Hunger. Strikes. Riots. The food crisis bites”, in The Observer
3. (US) To use one's own judgment to aggressively swing at pitches, rather than following a coaches instructions.
4. (US, slang) To use any means to take the money of participants in a circus gaming attraction.