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

• metathetical
• metathoracic
• metathorax
• metathoraxes
• Metazoa
• metazoan
• metazoic
• metazoon
• metcast
• metcasts
• mete
• meted
• metempiric
• metempirical
• metempiricism
• metempiricisms
• metempiricist
• metempiricists
• metempirics
• metempsychoses
• metempsychosis
• metempsychosist
• meteor
• meteor.
• meteor crater