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battener

 - 2 dictionary results

bat⋅ten

2  [bat-n]
Use battener in a Sentence
–noun
1. 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.
2. a transverse iron or steel strip supporting the flooring strips of a metal fire escape.
3. Nautical.
a. a thin strip of wood inserted in a sail to keep it flat.
b. a thin, flat length of wood or metal used for various purposes, as to hold the tarpaulin covering a hatch in place.
4. Shipbuilding. a flexible strip of wood used for fairing the lines of a hull on the floor of a mold loft.
5. Theater.
a. Also called pipe batten. a length of metal pipe hung from the gridiron, for suspending scenery or equipment, as drops, flats, or lighting units.
b. a narrow strip of lumber for constructing, reinforcing, or joining flats.
c. a similar strip attached to a drop to keep it flat or taut.
–verb (used with object)
6. to furnish or bolster with battens.
7. Nautical. to cover (a hatch) so as to make watertight (usually fol. by down).
8. Machinery. to secure (work) to a table or bed for a machining operation.
9. Building Trades. to join or assemble (a steel column or the like) with batten plates.
10. Theater.
a. to suspend (scenery, stage lights, etc.) from a batten.
b. to fasten a batten to (a flat or drop).
Origin:
1400–50; late ME bataunt, batent finished board < OF batant, n. use of ptp. of batre to beat; see bate 2 , -ant

Related forms:
bat⋅ten⋅er, noun
Dictionary.com Unabridged
Based on the Random House Dictionary, © Random House, Inc. 2009.
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Word Origin & History

batten  (v.)
"to fatten," 1591, probably representing a dial. survival of O.N. batna "improve" (cf. O.E. batian, O.Fris. batia, O.H.G. bazen, Goth. gabatnan "to become better, avail, benefit," O.E. bet "better;" cf. also boot (v.)).
Online Etymology Dictionary, © 2001 Douglas Harper
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