BATTER

(HIT) [verb] - to hit and behave violently towards (a person, esp. a woman or child) repeatedly over a long period of time or to hit (something) with force many timesNo-one seemed to realize that the child's stepfather had been battering her for years. [T]The paramilitaries battered him to death with a rifle-butt. [T]He was battering (at/on) the door with his fists and howling. [T; I + preposition]The waves battered (against) the rocks at the bottom of the cliff. [T; I + preposition]The burglars had battered down the door of the house (= hit it so hard that it broke and fell down). [M]