batten

English

Pronunciation

(US) enPR: băt'-n, IPA: /'bæt.ən/

Etymology 1

From Middle English *battenen, *batnen, of North Germanic origin, from Old Norse batna (“to grow better, improve, recover”), from Proto-Germanic *batnanan (“to become good, get better”), from Proto-Indo-European *bhAd- (“good”). Cognate with Icelandic batna (“to improve, recover”), Gothic 𐌲𐌰𐌱𐌰𐍄𐌽𐌰𐌽 (gabatnan, “to be noteful, profit, boot”), Dutch baten (“to avail, profit, benefit”), Old English batian (“to get better, recover”). More at better.

Verb

batten (third-person singular simple present battens, present participle battening, simple past and past participle battened)

1. (intransitive) To become better; improve in condition, especially by feeding.
2. (intransitive) To thrive by feeding; grow fat; feed oneself gluttonously.
3. (intransitive) To thrive, prosper, or live in luxury, especially at the expense of others; fare sumptuously.

   Robber barons who battened on the poor

4. (intransitive) To gratify a morbid appetite or craving; gloat.
5. (transitive) To improve by feeding; fatten; make fat or cause to thrive due to plenteous feeding.

Derived terms

• battner

Related terms

• battle

Translations

become better

Bulgarian: угоявам (bg)

Etymology 2

From Middle English  (bataunt, batent, “finished board”), from Old French  (batent, “to beat”)

Noun

batten (plural battens)

1. A thin strip of wood used in construction to hold members of a structure together or to provide a fixing point.
2. (nautical) A long strip of wood, metal, fibreglass etc used for various purposes aboard ship, especially one inserted in a pocket sewn on the sail in order to keep the sail flat.
3. In stagecraft, a long pipe, usually metal, affixed to the ceiling or fly system in a theater.
4. The movable bar of a loom, which strikes home or closes the threads of a woof.

Translations

thin strip of wood used in construction

Bulgarian: дъска (bg) Finnish: lista (fi), rima (fi)

Polish: listwa (pl) f.

aboard a ship, a long strip that e.g. keeps a sail flat

Finnish: latta (fi) Polish: listwa (pl) f.

Spanish: filete (es) m.

Verb

batten (third-person singular simple present battens, present participle battening, simple past and past participle battened)

1. (nautical) to fasten or secure a hatch etc using battens.

Derived terms

• batten down
• batten down the hatches

Translations

to fasten or secure a hatch using battens

Russian: задраивать (ru)

References

• FM 55-501 Marine Crewman’s Handbook