Hi, Nil!  Recently you wrote in a message to Alexander Koryagin:

AK>  Kate looked hopefully at Reynie. "I don't suppose you
AK>  know what he means, do you? Just right off the bat?"
AK>  Reynie shook his head. "No idea."

AK>  What did she mean with her bat? :)

NA>  This expression comes from the baseball and this is a 
NA>  fixed expression means immediately. The bat is the 
NA>  stick you play with. There are couple of more baseball 
NA>  terminology is used daily, like let*s touch base 
NA>  (tomorrow and discuss that), (the value is) in the
NA>  ballpark, etc.

   
          Yes.  I'd describe these as metaphors referring to baseball, i.e. a sport probably more well-known Over Here... but I like your explanation.  :-)




--- timEd/386 1.10.y2k+