batten¹ /batˈən/

1. A piece of sawn timber used for flooring, support of laths, etc
2. A strip of wood fastened across parallel boards, or used to fasten down hatches aboard ship, etc
3. A row of electric lamps or a strip of wood carrying them

To fasten or furnish with battens

battˈening noun

Battens forming a structure

batten down the hatches

1. To prepare for a crisis
2. Orig to secure the hatches on a ship against bad weather

batten² /batˈən/

1. To thrive at the expense of (with on)
2. To grow fat
3. To feed abundantly (on; lit and figurative)

To fatten

• contignations
• contiguities
• contiguity
• contiguous
• contiguously
• contiguousness
• contiguousnesses
• continence
• continences
• continencies
• continency
• continent
• continental
• continental breakfast
• continental breakfasts
• continental climate
• Continental Congress
• continental crust
• continental day
• continental divide
• continental divides
• continental drift
• continental drifts
• continentalism
• continentalisms