I. bat ‧ ten 1 /ˈbætn/ BrE AmE verb
1 . batten down the hatches
a) to prepare yourself for a period of difficulty or trouble
b) to firmly fasten the entrances to the lower part of a ship
2 . batten on somebody British English formal to live well by using someone else’s money, possessions etc – used to show disapproval
II. batten 2 BrE AmE noun [countable]
[ Date: 1600-1700 ; Language: French ; Origin: bâton ; ⇨ ↑ baton ]
a long narrow piece of wood that is attached to other pieces of wood or another building material to strengthen them and keep them in place