batten down the hatches
English edit
Etymology edit
From the practice aboard a ship of sealing hatches to prevent water getting below-decks in a storm by using covers secured by strips of material, called battens, firmly attached to the frame of the hatch opening.
Pronunciation edit
Audio (AU) (file)
Verb edit
batten down the hatches (third-person singular simple present battens down the hatches, present participle battening down the hatches, simple past and past participle battened down the hatches)
Usage notes edit
- Other determiners (eg, these, those, all the) and modifiers (eg, virtual, financial) can modify hatches.
Translations edit
to prepare for trouble
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nautical: to cover the hatches
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See also edit
Further reading edit
- “batten down the hatches”, in Collins English Dictionary.
- “batten down the hatches, phrase”, in Lexico, Dictionary.com; Oxford University Press, 2019–2022.
- “batten down the hatches”, in OneLook Dictionary Search.
- “batten down the hatches”, in Merriam-Webster Online Dictionary, Springfield, Mass.: Merriam-Webster, 1996–present.
- “batten down the hatches” in TheFreeDictionary.com, Huntingdon Valley, Pa.: Farlex, Inc., 2003–2024.