Definition

1. Verb (transitive):
   • To fasten or secure something, especially a ship's hatches or cargo, using battens (strips of wood or metal): This is the primary nautical meaning, referring to the act of making something secure against bad weather or rough seas by nailing or otherwise fixing battens over it.
   • To prepare for a difficult situation by making things secure: By extension, it means to take thorough precautions in anticipation of trouble or a storm.

Usage and Examples

• Literal, Nautical Usage:

  • The crew hurried to batten down the hatches before the hurricane hit.
  • All loose equipment on deck was battened down for the voyage.

• Figurative, General Usage:

  • We need to batten down and prepare for the upcoming economic downturn.
  • The company battened down its financial operations to survive the crisis.

Advanced Usage and Nuances

• The phrase is most commonly used in its phrasal verb form "batten down the hatches." This idiom is frequently employed both literally for ships and figuratively for any organization or individual preparing for a period of difficulty or adversity.
  • Literal: Seeing the dark clouds, the captain ordered the crew to batten down the hatches.
  • Figurative: When the scandal broke, the politician's team battened down the hatches and stopped all communication with the press.

Variants and Related Words

• Batten (noun): A thin strip of wood or metal used to fasten or strengthen something.
• Batten (verb): To fasten or secure with battens. Can also mean to thrive or grow fat (as in "batten on"), but this is a separate, distinct meaning.
• Battened (adjective): Describing something that has been secured with battens.
  • The battened hatches held firm during the storm.

Synonyms

• Secure: To fasten or lock something safely.
• Fasten down: To fix something firmly in place.
• Reinforce: To strengthen, often in preparation for stress.
• Make fast: A nautical term meaning to secure something.

Related Phrasal Verbs

• Batten down the hatches: The full, idiomatic expression meaning to prepare for a coming storm or difficulty.
  • The entire industry is battening down the hatches for the recession.

Related Idioms

• Batten down the hatches: As noted above, this is the core idiom derived from the verb phrase. It encapsulates the idea of taking defensive measures and preparing for a challenging period.
  • With the new regulations coming, small businesses had no choice but to batten down the hatches.

Verb

1. furnish with battens
   • batten ships