Definition

Noun: * Home Plate: In baseball and softball, the final base that a runner must touch to score a run. It is a five-sided slab of whitened rubber or other material, located at one corner of the diamond where the batter stands to hit.

Usage

• The term "home plate" is used to refer to the physical base itself and its location on the field.
• It is a singular, countable noun.
• Common verbs used with "home plate" include: , , , , , .

Examples

• The catcher crouched behind home plate.
• The runner slid headfirst, trying to touch home plate before the tag.
• The umpire stood directly behind home plate to call balls and strikes.
• He scored when the wild pitch allowed him to run to home plate.

Advanced Usage

• "To cover home plate": Refers to a defensive player (often the catcher or pitcher) moving to guard the base to make a play on a runner.
  • The pitcher raced to cover home plate on the passed ball.
• "Around the horn": A phrase describing a specific sequence of defensive throws, often starting from the catcher at home plate to third base, to second, to first, and sometimes back to home plate.
  • After the strikeout, the infielders threw the ball around the horn, ending at home plate.

Variants and Related Words

• Home (noun): A common, abbreviated term for "home plate" used in game commentary and casual speech.
  • The runner is safe at home!
• The plate (noun): Another common abbreviation for "home plate."
  • The pitch was right over the plate.
• Dish (noun, slang): Informal slang for home plate.
  • The batter really drove that pitch off the dish.

Synonyms

• Home base: A formal synonym, often used interchangeably with "home plate."

Idioms and Phrases

• "To bring (a runner) home": To enable a runner to score by reaching home plate.
  • His single brought the winning run home.
• "To play (or be) at home plate": To have the defensive position of catcher.
  • Our best defensive player is playing at home plate tonight.

Noun

1. (baseball) base consisting of a rubber slab where the batter stands; it must be touched by a base runner in order to score
   • he ruled that the runner failed to touch home