sacrifice fly
Low/Medium (in general language), High (in sports/baseball contexts)Technical, Sports (baseball)
Definition
Meaning
In baseball and softball, a ball hit high into the outfield, caught for an out, that allows a baserunner to score after the catch.
By extension, any action taken with personal cost or disadvantage that nevertheless advances a larger goal or benefits the team.
Linguistics
Semantic Notes
The term is a compound noun where 'sacrifice' refers to giving up the batter's chance of reaching base safely (as they are out), and 'fly' refers to a ball hit high into the air. It is a specific, rule-defined play in baseball scoring.
Dialectal Variation
British vs American Usage
Differences
The term is almost exclusively used in American English, reflecting the cultural dominance of baseball in the US. In UK contexts where baseball is discussed, the American term is used, but it is rarely encountered outside of sports reporting.
Connotations
In the US, it has a positive, strategic connotation within baseball. In the UK, it is primarily a technical term from an imported sport.
Frequency
Very frequent in American sports media; extremely rare in general British English.
Vocabulary
Collocations
Grammar
Valency Patterns
[Batter] hit a sacrifice fly to [Location].A sacrifice fly scored [Runner] from [Base].The run was unearned due to a sacrifice fly.Vocabulary
Synonyms
Neutral
Weak
Vocabulary
Antonyms
Phrases
Idioms & Phrases
- “Take one for the team (conceptual parallel)”
Usage
Context Usage
Business
Metaphorically used to describe an employee or department absorbing a loss or setback to benefit the overall company project.
Academic
Rarely used; might appear in papers on sports sociology or game theory as an example of cooperative/altruistic strategy.
Everyday
Used almost exclusively in conversations about baseball. May be used metaphorically in the US ("It was a sacrifice fly for the team").
Technical
Specific, rulebook definition in baseball (Official Baseball Rule 9.08(d)). The batter is credited with a run batted in (RBI) but not a time at bat.
Examples
By Part of Speech
verb
British English
- He sacrificially flied to right field, allowing the run to score. (Extremely rare, non-idiomatic construction in UK.)
American English
- He sacrifice-flied to deep centre, bringing in the winning run. (Accepted as verb conversion in sports journalism.)
adverb
British English
- The run scored sacrifice-fly-style. (Virtually never used.)
American English
- (Not used adverbially in standard form.)
adjective
British English
- The sacrifice-fly situation was clear. (Rare, hyphenated.)
American English
- It was a classic sacrifice fly scenario.
Examples
By CEFR Level
- The player hit the ball high. His teammate ran home.
- In baseball, a sacrifice fly is when a batter is out, but a runner scores.
- The game was tied in the eighth inning when Jones hit a sacrifice fly to right field, driving in the go-ahead run.
- While statistically an out for the batter, the sacrifice fly is a strategically vital play that exemplifies team-oriented offence over individual batting metrics.
Learning
Memory Aids
Mnemonic
Think: SACRIFICE (giving yourself up) + FLY (a high ball). The batter 'flies out' to 'sacrifice' themselves so a teammate can score.
Conceptual Metaphor
INDIVIDUAL LOSS FOR COLLECTIVE GAIN IS A SACRIFICIAL FLY BALL.
Watch out
Common Pitfalls
Translation Traps (for Russian speakers)
- Avoid translating "fly" literally as "муха" (the insect). Here it is short for "fly ball" - "высокий мяч" или "флай".
- The word "sacrifice" here does not imply a dramatic, life-altering act, but a routine tactical out.
Common Mistakes
- Using "sacrifice fly" to describe any high outfield catch (the runner must tag up and score *after* the catch for it to count).
- Saying "He sacrificed to fly" which misparses the compound noun.
Practice
Quiz
What is the primary outcome for the batter who hits a sacrifice fly?
FAQ
Frequently Asked Questions
No, a sacrifice fly does not count as a formal time at bat for the batter, which helps their batting average.
Yes, a sacrifice fly can occur with zero, one, or even two outs, but if it's the third out, the run would not score.
Both are 'sacrifices' where the batter is out. A sacrifice fly is a ball hit in the air to the outfield, while a sacrifice bunt is a ball tapped slowly on the ground to advance runners.
No, cricket has no direct equivalent. The closest conceptual parallel might be a batter getting out deliberately to try and score runs quickly late in an innings, but the rules and context are entirely different.
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