bat·ten 1 (b
t
n)
v. bat·tened, bat·ten·ing, bat·tens
v.intr.
1. To become fat.
2. To thrive and prosper, especially at another’s expense: “[She] battens like a leech on the lives of famous people, . . . a professional retailer of falsehoods” George F. Will.
v.tr.
To fatten; overfeed.
[Ultimately from Old Norse batna, to improve; see bhad- in Indo-European roots.]
bat·ten 2 (btn)
n.
1. Nautical
a. One of several flexible strips of wood or plastic placed in pockets at the outer edge of a sail to keep it flat.
b. A narrow strip of wood used to fasten down the edges of the material that covers hatches in foul weather.
2. Chiefly British A narrow strip of wood used especially for flooring.
tr.v. bat·tened, bat·ten·ing, bat·tens
Nautical To furnish, fasten, or secure with battens: battened down the hatch during the storm.
Idiom:
batten down the hatches
To prepare for an imminent disaster or emergency.
[Middle English batent, from Old French bataunt, wooden strip, clapper, from present participle of batre, to beat; see batter1.]
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