batten on — ˈbatten on [transitive] [present tense I/you/we/they batten on he/she/it battens on present participle battening on past tense battened on p … Useful english dictionary
batten — ► NOUN ▪ a long, flat wooden or metal strip for strengthening or securing something. ► VERB ▪ strengthen or fasten with battens. ● batten down the hatches Cf. ↑batten down the hatches ORIGIN Old French batant, from batre to beat … English terms dictionary
Batten — Bat ten, v. i. To grow fat; to grow fat in ease and luxury; to glut one s self. Dryden. [1913 Webster] The pampered monarch lay battening in ease. Garth. [1913 Webster] Skeptics, with a taste for carrion, who batten on the hideous facts in… … The Collaborative International Dictionary of English
Batten — Bat ten, n. [F. b[^a]ton stick, staff. See {Baton}.] A strip of sawed stuff, or a scantling; as, (a) pl. (Com. & Arch.) Sawed timbers about 7 by 2 1/2 inches and not less than 6 feet long. Brande & C. (b) (Naut.) A strip of wood used in fastening … The Collaborative International Dictionary of English
Batten — Bat ten, v. t. To furnish or fasten with battens. [1913 Webster] {To batten down}, to fasten down with battens, as the tarpaulin over the hatches of a ship during a storm. [1913 Webster] … The Collaborative International Dictionary of English
batten — [v1] fasten securely board up, clamp down, cover up, fix, nail down, secure, tie, tighten; concepts 85,160 Ant. loosen, unfasten, unfix batten [v2] grow fat burgeon, feed on, grow, prosper, thrive, wax; concept 704 … New thesaurus
batten — batten1 [bat′ n] n. [var. of BATON] 1. a sawed strip of wood, flooring, etc. 2. a strip of wood put over a seam between boards as a fastening or covering 3. a short piece of wood or plastic inserted in a sail to keep it taut 4. a strip of steel… … English World dictionary
Batten — Bat ten, n. [F. battant. See {Batter}, v. t.] The movable bar of a loom, which strikes home or closes the threads of a woof. [1913 Webster] … The Collaborative International Dictionary of English
Batten — Bat ten (b[a^]t t n), v. t. [imp. & p. p. {Battened} (b[a^]t t nd); p. pr. & vb. n. {Battening}.] [See {Batful}.] 1. To make fat by plenteous feeding; to fatten. Battening our flocks. Milton. [1913 Webster] 2. To fertilize or enrich, as land.… … The Collaborative International Dictionary of English
Batten — * Batten, verb. reg. neutr. mit haben, welches im Hochdeutschen völlig veraltet, aber noch im Niederdeutschen üblich ist, für helfen, nutzen. Das battet nicht, hilft mir nicht. Es kommt noch in einigen alten Kirchenliedern vor, und gehöret zu dem … Grammatisch-kritisches Wörterbuch der Hochdeutschen Mundart
