Batten Definition
- To prepare for an imminent disaster or emergency.
- to fasten canvas over the hatches, esp. in preparing for a storm
Other Word Forms of Batten
Noun
Idioms, Phrasal Verbs Related to Batten
Origin of Batten
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From Middle English *battenen, *batnen, of North Germanic origin, from Old Norse batna (“to grow better, improve, recover”), from Proto-Germanic *batnaną (“to become good, get better”), from Proto-Indo-European *bhAd- (“good”). Cognate with Icelandic batna (“to improve, recover”), Gothic (gabatnan, “to be noteful, profit, boot”), Dutch baten (“to avail, profit, benefit”), Old English batian (“to get better, recover”). More at better.
From Wiktionary
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Alteration of Middle English batent finished board or bar of wood from Old French batant wooden strip, clapper from present participle of batre to beat batter1 Noun, sense 3a and b, from French batant from Old French
From American Heritage Dictionary of the English Language, 5th Edition
From Middle English bataunt, batent (“finished board”), from Old French batent (“beating”)
From Wiktionary
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Ultimately from Old Norse batna to improve bhad- in Indo-European roots
From American Heritage Dictionary of the English Language, 5th Edition
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