n.
Pronunciation: ' hach
Function: noun
Etymology: Middle English hache, from Old English hæc; akin to Middle Dutch hecke trapdoor
Date: before 12th century
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