batten

1
[ bat-n ]
See synonyms for batten on Thesaurus.com
verb (used without object)
  1. to thrive by feeding; grow fat.

  2. to feed gluttonously or greedily; glut oneself.

  1. to thrive, prosper, or live in luxury, especially at the expense of others: robber barons who battened on poor workers.

verb (used with object)
  1. to cause to thrive by or as if by feeding; fatten.

Origin of batten

1
First recorded in 1585–95; apparently from Old Norse batna “to improve”; cognate with Gothic gabatnan “to benefit, profit”; compare Old English bet, Gothic batis, Old High German baz “better”; see better1

Other definitions for batten (2 of 4)

batten2
[ bat-n ]

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.

  1. 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.

  2. Shipbuilding. a flexible strip of wood used for fairing the lines of a hull on the floor of a mold loft.

  3. 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)
  1. to furnish or bolster with battens.

  2. Nautical. to cover (a hatch) so as to make watertight (usually followed by down).

  1. Machinery. to secure (work) to a table or bed for a machining operation.

  2. Building Trades. to join or assemble (a steel column or the like) with batten plates.

  3. Theater.

    • to suspend (scenery, stage lights, etc.) from a batten.

    • to fasten a batten to (a flat or drop).

Origin of batten

2
First recorded in 1400–50; late Middle English bataunt, batent “finished board,” from Old French batant, noun use of past participle of batre “to beat”; see bate2, -ant

Other words from batten

  • bat·ten·er, noun

Other definitions for batten (3 of 4)

batten3
[ bat-n ]

noun
  1. (in a loom) the swinging frame for holding and positioning the reed.

  2. a part of the lay of a loom.

verb (used with object)
  1. to beat (filling yarn) into place with the batten.

Origin of batten

3
First recorded in 1825–35; alteration of French battant; see batten2

Other definitions for Batten (4 of 4)

Batten
[ bat-n ]

noun
  1. 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.

Dictionary.com Unabridged Based on the Random House Unabridged Dictionary, © Random House, Inc. 2024

British Dictionary definitions for batten (1 of 3)

batten1

/ (ˈbætən) /


noun
  1. a sawn strip of wood used in building to cover joints, provide a fixing for tiles or slates, support lathing, etc

  2. a long narrow board used for flooring

  1. a narrow flat length of wood or plastic inserted in pockets of a sail to give it proper shape

  2. a lath used for holding a tarpaulin along the side of a raised hatch on a ship

  3. theatre

    • a row of lights

    • the strip or bar supporting them

  4. Also called: dropper NZ an upright part of a fence made of wood or other material, designed to keep wires at equal distances apart

verb
  1. (tr) to furnish or strengthen with battens

  2. batten down the hatches

    • to use battens in nailing a tarpaulin over a hatch on a ship to make it secure

    • to prepare for action, a crisis, etc

Origin of batten

1
C15: from French bâton stick; see baton

Derived forms of batten

  • battening, noun

British Dictionary definitions for batten (2 of 3)

batten2

/ (ˈbætən) /


verb
  1. (intr usually foll by on) to thrive, esp at the expense of someone else: to batten on the needy

Origin of batten

2
C16: probably from Old Norse batna to improve; related to Old Norse betr better 1, Old High German bazzen to get better

British Dictionary definitions for Batten (3 of 3)

Batten

/ (ˈbætən) /


noun
  1. Jean . 1909–82, New Zealand aviator: the first woman to fly single-handed from Australia to Britain (1935)

Collins English Dictionary - Complete & Unabridged 2012 Digital Edition © William Collins Sons & Co. Ltd. 1979, 1986 © HarperCollins Publishers 1998, 2000, 2003, 2005, 2006, 2007, 2009, 2012