switch-hitter
Noun: 1. A baseball player who can bat effectively both right-handed and left-handed: This is the primary and literal meaning in sports. The player is skilled at hitting from both sides of home plate. 2. Slang term for a bisexual person: This is a figurative, informal, and potentially offensive slang usage. It metaphorically extends the baseball term to imply a person who is sexually or romantically involved with both men and women.
- Baseball Player:
- The manager values having a switch-hitter in the lineup because it creates a strategic advantage against any pitcher.
- He is one of the most feared switch-hitters in the league's history.
- Slang Term (Use with extreme caution):
- Using "switch-hitter" to describe someone's sexuality is considered outdated and disrespectful by many.
- The term is almost exclusively used in its literal baseball context in formal or neutral writing and speech. The slang usage is largely confined to very informal settings and is widely recognized as pejorative.
- Switch-hit (verb): The action of batting from the opposite side of the plate than one's natural throwing hand.
- The rookie decided to switch-hit against the left-handed pitcher.
- For the baseball meaning: Ambidextrous hitter (though this is less common).
- For the slang meaning (not recommended): Bisexual. (Note: "Bisexual" is the standard, respectful term.)
The slang meaning of "switch-hitter" is considered offensive and reductive. It reduces a person's sexual identity to a crude sports metaphor. It is strongly recommended to use the standard term "bisexual" when referring to a person's sexuality. The word should generally only be used in its original, technical baseball context.
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slang term for a bisexual person
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a baseball player who can bat either right or left handed
