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batten
1[bat-n]
verb (used without object)
to thrive by feeding; grow fat.
to feed gluttonously or greedily; glut oneself.
to thrive, prosper, or live in luxury, especially at the expense of others.
robber barons who battened on poor workers.
verb (used with object)
to cause to thrive by or as if by feeding; fatten.
batten
2[bat-n]
noun
a small board or strip of wood used for various building purposes, as to cover joints between boards, reinforce certain doors, or supply a foundation for lathing.
a transverse iron or steel strip supporting the flooring strips of a metal fire escape.
Nautical.
a thin strip of wood inserted in a sail to keep it flat.
a thin, flat length of wood or metal used for various purposes, as to hold the tarpaulin covering a hatch in place.
Shipbuilding.a flexible strip of wood used for fairing the lines of a hull on the floor of a mold loft.
Theater.
Also called pipe batten.a length of metal pipe hung from the gridiron, for suspending scenery or equipment, as drops, flats, or lighting units.
a narrow strip of lumber for constructing, reinforcing, or joining flats.
a similar strip attached to a drop to keep it flat or taut.
verb (used with object)
to furnish or bolster with battens.
Nautical.to cover (a hatch) so as to make watertight (usually followed bydown ).
Machinery.to secure (work) to a table or bed for a machining operation.
Building Trades.to join or assemble (a steel column or the like) with batten plates.
Theater.
to suspend (scenery, stage lights, etc.) from a batten.
to fasten a batten to (a flat or drop).
batten
3[bat-n]
noun
(in a loom) the swinging frame for holding and positioning the reed.
a part of the lay of a loom.
verb (used with object)
to beat (filling yarn) into place with the batten.
Batten
4[bat-n]
noun
Jean The Garbo of the Skies, 1909–82, New Zealand aviator: first woman to make solo round-trip flight between England and Australia, 1934–35.
batten
1/ ˈæə /
noun
a sawn strip of wood used in building to cover joints, provide a fixing for tiles or slates, support lathing, etc
a long narrow board used for flooring
a narrow flat length of wood or plastic inserted in pockets of a sail to give it proper shape
a lath used for holding a tarpaulin along the side of a raised hatch on a ship
theatre
a row of lights
the strip or bar supporting them
Also called: dropper.an upright part of a fence made of wood or other material, designed to keep wires at equal distances apart
verb
(tr) to furnish or strengthen with battens
to use battens in nailing a tarpaulin over a hatch on a ship to make it secure
to prepare for action, a crisis, etc
Batten
2/ ˈæə /
noun
Jean . 1909–82, New Zealand aviator: the first woman to fly single-handed from Australia to Britain (1935)
batten
3/ ˈæə /
verb
to thrive, esp at the expense of someone else
to batten on the needy
Other 51Թ Forms
- battener noun
- ˈٳٱԾԲ noun
51Թ History and Origins
Origin of batten1
Origin of batten2
51Թ History and Origins
Origin of batten1
Origin of batten2
Example Sentences
He raised the tailgate, battened down the latches and headed for the cab.
There is that emotional mix of anticipation from the people who know what can happen here, combined with a palpable, psychic battening down the hatches because no one knows what is actually going to transpire.
The White House on Thursday felt a bit like a building battening down for a coming storm.
A "design defect" meant driving rain was being trapped beneath tonnes of concrete tiles, rotting the wooden battens that held them up.
The prime minister will be wanting to "get things sorted out, batten down the hatches and get things moving forward," Baroness Harman said.
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