batten

/'bætn/

Thân thiện

The crew battens down the hatches before the storm.

Definition

1. Noun:

   • A strip of wood or metal used to secure or strengthen something: A "batten" is a thin, flat piece of material, typically wood, used to hold other components in place, provide support, or seal gaps.
   • A long, rigid bar used in sailing: In nautical contexts, a "batten" is a thin strip inserted into a pocket on a sail to help it maintain its shape.

2. Verb:

   • To fasten or secure with battens: The action of using strips of wood or metal to make something firm or closed.
   • To thrive or prosper at the expense of others; to grow fat: This figurative meaning describes profiting excessively, often in a way considered unfair or parasitic.

Usage Examples

• Noun:

  • We nailed a wooden batten across the door to secure it. (We used a strip of wood to make the door firm.)
  • The sail's shape is maintained by a flexible fiberglass batten. (The sail's form is supported by a rigid strip.)

• Verb (to fasten):

  • They had to batten the hatches before the storm arrived. (They had to secure the ship's hatches tightly.)
  • Please batten down these loose floorboards. (Please fasten these unsecured floorboards.)

• Verb (to thrive):

  • The corrupt officials battened on the misery of the poor. (The officials grew wealthy by exploiting the poor's suffering.)

Advanced Usage

• "Batten down the hatches": To prepare for a difficult situation, originally by securing a ship's hatches against a storm.

  • The company is battening down the hatches for the upcoming economic recession. (The company is preparing for difficult economic times.)

• "Batten on/upon": To thrive or feed greedily on something, often used figuratively.

  • The scandalous media outlet battens upon public fear. (The media outlet profits by exploiting public anxiety.)

Variants and Related Words

• Battening (gerund/noun): The act of securing with battens.
  • The battening of the cargo took several hours.
• Battened (adjective): Describes something that has been secured with battens.
  • The battened hatch held firm during the hurricane.

Synonyms

• Noun (strip): lath, strip, bar, slat.
• Verb (fasten): secure, fasten, nail down, clamp.
• Verb (thrive): prosper, thrive, flourish, fatten.

Related Phrasal Verbs

• Batten down: To make something secure, especially against trouble.
  • We need to batten down and review all our security protocols. (We need to secure our position and review protocols.)
• Batten on/upon: (As covered in Advanced Usage) To feed off or prosper from something, usually negatively.

Related Idioms

• "Batten down the hatches": (As covered in Advanced Usage) To prepare for trouble or difficulty.

Học thuật

Noun

1. a strip fixed to something to hold it firm
2. stuffing made of rolls or sheets of cotton wool or synthetic fiber

Verb

1. secure with battens
   • batten down a ship's hatches
2. furnish with battens
   • batten ships

Từ đồng nghĩa

• batting
• batten down
• secure