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batter

1
[ bat-er ]
/ ˈbæt ər /
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See synonyms for: batter / battered / battering on Thesaurus.com
verb (used with object)
to beat persistently or hard; pound repeatedly.
to damage by beating or hard usage: Rough roads had battered the car. High winds were battering the coast.
verb (used without object)
to deal heavy, repeated blows; pound steadily: continuing to batter at the front door.
noun
Printing.
  1. a damaged area on the face of type or plate.
  2. the resulting defect in print.
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Origin of batter

1
First recorded in 1300–50; Middle English bateren, probably from Middle French, Old French batre “to beat,” with the French infinitive ending -re identified with -er6; see bate2

Words nearby batter

batten, Battenburg, batten down the hatches, batten plate, Batten's disease, batter, batter board, batter brace, batter bread, battercake, battered

Other definitions for batter (2 of 4)

batter2
[ bat-er ]
/ ˈbæt ər /
noun
a mixture of flour, milk or water, eggs, etc., beaten together for use in cooking.
verb (used with object)
to coat (an ingredient) with a mixture made from flour, milk, eggs, etc., especially as preparation for frying.

Origin of batter

2
First recorded in 1350–1400; Middle English bat(o)ur, bat(e)re, perhaps from Anglo-French bature, Old French bat(e)ure “act of beating,” equivalent to bat(re) “to beat” + -eure (from -ātūra assumed abstract noun suffix); reinforced by batter1; see origin at bate2, -ate2, -ure

Other definitions for batter (3 of 4)

batter3
[ bat-er ]
/ ˈbæt ər /
noun Sports.
a player who swings a bat or whose turn it is to bat, as in baseball or cricket.

Origin of batter

3
First recorded in 1765–75; bat1 + -er1

Other definitions for batter (4 of 4)

batter4
[ bat-er ]
/ ˈbæt ər /
Architecture
verb (used without object)
(of the face of a wall or the like) to slope backward and upward.
noun
a backward and upward slope of the face of a wall or the like.

Origin of batter

4
First recorded in 1540–50; of obscure origin
Dictionary.com Unabridged Based on the Random House Unabridged Dictionary, © Random House, Inc. 2023

Words related to batter

dough, bash, beat, bruise, buffet, clobber, cripple, crush, demolish, destroy, hurt, injure, lash, mar, pelt, pummel, punish, ruin, shatter, smash

How to use batter in a sentence

British Dictionary definitions for batter (1 of 5)

batter1
/ (ˈbætə) /
verb
to hit (someone or something) repeatedly using heavy blows, as with a club or other heavy instrument; beat heavily
(tr; often passive) to damage or injure, as by blows, heavy wear, etc
(tr) social welfare to subject (a person, esp a close relative living in the same house) to repeated physical violence
(tr) to subject (a person, opinion, or theory) to harsh criticism; attack

Word Origin for batter

C14 bateren, probably from batten to bat 1

British Dictionary definitions for batter (2 of 5)

batter2
/ (ˈbætə) /
noun
a mixture of flour, eggs, and milk, used to make cakes, pancakes, etc, and to coat certain foods before frying

Word Origin for batter

C15 bater, probably from bateren to batter 1

British Dictionary definitions for batter (3 of 5)

batter3
/ (ˈbætə) /
noun
sport a player who bats

British Dictionary definitions for batter (4 of 5)

batter4
/ (ˈbætə) /
noun
the slope of the face of a wall that recedes gradually backwards and upwards
verb
(intr) to have such a slope

Word Origin for batter

C16 (vb: to incline): of uncertain origin

British Dictionary definitions for batter (5 of 5)

batter5
/ (ˈbætə) /
noun
a spree or debauch

Word Origin for batter

C19: of unknown origin
Collins English Dictionary - Complete & Unabridged 2012 Digital Edition © William Collins Sons & Co. Ltd. 1979, 1986 © HarperCollins Publishers 1998, 2000, 2003, 2005, 2006, 2007, 2009, 2012
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