batter

1
[ bat-er ]
See synonyms for: batterbatteredbattering on Thesaurus.com

verb (used with object)
  1. to beat persistently or hard; pound repeatedly.

  2. to damage by beating or hard usage: Rough roads had battered the car. High winds were battering the coast.

verb (used without object)
  1. to deal heavy, repeated blows; pound steadily: continuing to batter at the front door.

noun
  1. Printing.

    • a damaged area on the face of type or plate.

    • the resulting defect in print.

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

Other words for batter

Words Nearby batter

Other definitions for batter (2 of 4)

batter2
[ bat-er ]

noun
  1. a mixture of flour, milk or water, eggs, etc., beaten together for use in cooking.

verb (used with object)
  1. 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 ]

nounSports.
  1. 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 ]

verb (used without object)
  1. (of the face of a wall or the like) to slope backward and upward.

noun
  1. 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. 2024

How to use batter in a sentence

British Dictionary definitions for batter (1 of 5)

batter1

/ (ˈbætə) /


verb
  1. to hit (someone or something) repeatedly using heavy blows, as with a club or other heavy instrument; beat heavily

  2. (tr; often passive) to damage or injure, as by blows, heavy wear, etc

  1. (tr) social welfare to subject (a person, esp a close relative living in the same house) to repeated physical violence

  2. (tr) to subject (a person, opinion, or theory) to harsh criticism; attack

Origin of batter

1
C14 bateren, probably from batten to bat 1

British Dictionary definitions for batter (2 of 5)

batter2

/ (ˈbætə) /


noun
  1. a mixture of flour, eggs, and milk, used to make cakes, pancakes, etc, and to coat certain foods before frying

Origin of batter

2
C15 bater, probably from bateren to batter 1

British Dictionary definitions for batter (3 of 5)

batter3

/ (ˈbætə) /


noun
  1. sport a player who bats

British Dictionary definitions for batter (4 of 5)

batter4

/ (ˈbætə) /


noun
  1. the slope of the face of a wall that recedes gradually backwards and upwards

verb
  1. (intr) to have such a slope

Origin of batter

4
C16 (vb: to incline): of uncertain origin

British Dictionary definitions for batter (5 of 5)

batter5

/ (ˈbætə) /


noun
  1. a spree or debauch

Origin of batter

5
C19: of unknown origin

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