batten

[US]/'bæt(ə)n/
[UK]/'bætn/
Frequency: Very High

Translation

n. a strip of wood or metal used to strengthen or hold something in place
vt. to fasten with a strip of wood or metal, to fatten oneself.
Word Forms
Pluralbattens
Third Person Singularbattens
Present Participlebattening
Past Participlebattened
Past Tensebattened

Phrases & Collocations

wooden batten

metal batten

batten down

batten on

Example Sentences

batten down the hatches.

Stephen was battening down the shutters.

slumlords who batten on the poor.

multinational monopolies batten on the working classes.

There's a storm coming, so let's batten down the hatches.

Hollywood is battening down the hatches in expectation of a strike by actors and writers this summer.

Real-world Examples

Sheila stares downward, as though battening her emotional hatches.

Source: New York Times

It's time to batten down the hatches and prepare for another very bumpy ride.

Source: A bet.

So really battening down the hatches.

Source: Financial Times Podcast

Batten down the hatches, young 'un.

Source: Paddington Bear

Better batten down the hatches, B.

Source: Gossip Girl Season 4

Well, isn't battening down the hatches usually the best way?

Source: Silk Season 2

OK, so message to listeners is very much: batten down the hatches.

Source: Financial Times Podcast

'My heart sinks when I think how we've battened on you all our lives and have given you nothing in return.

Source: Veil

As the shuttles dashed through the warp they lifted up the heavy battens, and when the shuttles stopped they let the battens fall and pressed the threads together.

Source: Selected Fairy Tales by Oscar Wilde

I pulled down the old rafters, fixed the new ones, put on the battens, slated the roof, all with my own hands, Worm being my assistant.

Source: A pair of blue eyes (Part 1)

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