[bat.ter] vb [ME bateren, prob. freq. of batten to bat, fr. bat] vt (14c) 1 a: to beat with successive blows so as to bruise, shatter, or demolish b: bombard
2: to subject to strong, overwhelming, or repeated attack
3: to wear or damage by hard usage or blows "a ~ed old hat" ~ vi: to strike heavily and repeatedly: beat syn see maim
[2]batter n [ME bater, prob. fr. bateren] (14c) 1 a: a mixture consisting chiefly of flour, egg, and milk or water and being thin enough to pour or drop from a spoon b: a mixture (as of flour and egg) used as a coating for food (as chicken) that is to be fried
2: an instance of battering [3]batter vt (1973): to coat (food) with batter for frying [4]batter n [origin unknown] (1743): a receding upward slope of the outer face of a structure [5]batter vt (ca. 1882): to give a receding upward slope to (as a wall) [6]batter n (1773): one that bats; esp: the player whose turn it is to bat