hatch
1 of 5noun (1)
ˈhach 
1
: a small door or opening (as in an airplane or spaceship)
an escape hatch
2
a
: an opening in the deck of a ship or in the floor or roof of a building
b
: the covering for such an opening
c
: hatchway
d
: compartment
3
: floodgate
hatch
2 of 5verb (1)
hatched; hatching; hatches
intransitive verb
1
: to produce young by incubation
2
a
: to emerge from an egg, chrysalis, or pupa
b
: to give forth young or imagoes
3
: to incubate eggs : brood
transitive verb
1
a
: to produce (young) from an egg by applying natural or artificial heat
b
: incubate sense 1a
2
: to bring into being : originate
especially : to concoct in secret
hatch a plot
hatchability
ˌha-chə-ˈbi-lə-tē
noun hatchable
ˈha-chə-bəl
adjective hatcher noun
hatch
3 of 5noun (2)
1
: an act or instance of hatching
2
: a brood of hatched young
hatch
4 of 5verb (2)
hatched; hatching; hatches
transitive verb
1
: to inlay with narrow bands of distinguishable material
a silver handle hatched with gold
2
: to mark (something, such as a drawing or engraving) with fine closely spaced lines
hatch
5 of 5noun (3)
plural hatches
: a mark, line, or stroke (as in a drawing or engraving) made usually by a single movement of a pen, pencil, etc.
especially : one made in parallel with others to give the effect of shading
Dots, hatches, crosshatches, flowing lines, scribbles—use them all! 
Courtney Jordan
Courtney Jordan I continue to refine and tighten the drawing as I develop the form and color with overlapping hatches. Jill Bossert
Jill Bossert Scientists have been unable to determine whether the hatches of the lower part of the drawing were done by a right- or left-handed person. Elian Peltier
Elian Peltier [Adobe] Illustrator's new filters include Ink Pen, for creating organic-looking hatches … Mike Heck and Karen Mitchell
Mike Heck and Karen Mitchell 
Synonyms
Verb (1)
- brood
- incubate
- set
- sit
Noun (2)
- door
- gate
- portal
See all Synonyms & Antonyms 
Word History
Etymology
Noun (1)
Middle English hache, from Old English hæc; akin to Middle Dutch hecke trapdoor
Verb (1)
Middle English hacchen; akin to Middle High German hecken to mate
Verb (2)
Middle French hacher to chop, slice up, incise with fine lines, from Old French hachier — more at hash
First Known Use
Noun (1)
before the 12th century, in the meaning defined at sense 1
Verb (1)
13th century, in the meaning defined at intransitive sense 1
Noun (2)
1600, in the meaning defined at sense 1
Verb (2)
15th century, in the meaning defined at sense 1
Noun (3)
circa 1650, in the meaning defined above
Phrases Containing hatch
Kids Definition
hatch 1 of 2
noun
ˈhach
1
: an opening in the deck of a ship or in the floor or roof of a building
2
: a small door or opening (as in an airplane)
an escape hatch
3
: the cover for such an opening
hatch
2 of 2verb
hatched; hatching
1
: to come out of an egg
The chicks were hatching.
2
: to break open and give forth young
The eggs will soon hatch.
3
: to develop usually in secret
They hatched an evil plan.
hatches 1 of 2
noun
as in doors
a barrier by which an entry is closed and opened watertight hatches provided access through the ship's bulkheads Synonyms & Similar Words
Relevance
- doors
- portals
- gates
- trapdoors
- double doors
- portcullises
- storm doors
- lattices
- revolving doors
- posterns
- Dutch doors
- French doors
- wickets
hatches
2 of 2verb
as in broods
to cover and warm eggs as the young inside develop the mallards and geese have begun hatching in their nests down by the pond Synonyms & Similar Words
- broods
- spawns
- lays
- sits
- incubates
- sets