hatch

[ hach ]

See synonyms for: hatch hatched hatching on Thesaurus.com

verb (used with object)

to bring forth (young) from the egg.
to cause young to emerge from (the egg) as by brooding or incubating.

to bring forth or produce; devise; invent; contrive; concoct: to hatch a scheme.

verb (used without object)

to be hatched.
to brood.

noun

the act of hatching.
something that is hatched, as a brood.

Origin of hatch

First recorded in 1200–50; Middle English hacchen. hetchen; akin to German hecken “(of birds) to mate, incubate, hatch”

Other words for hatch

1	incubate, brood
3	plan, plot

See synonyms for hatch on Thesaurus.com

Other words from hatch

hatch·a·ble, adjective
hatch·a·bil·i·ty, noun
hatcher, noun
un·hatch·a·bil·i·ty, noun
un·hatch·a·ble, adjective

Words Nearby hatch

Other definitions for hatch (2 of 3)

hatch²

[ hach ]

noun

Nautical.
- Also called hatchway. an opening, usually rectangular, in the deck through which passengers can pass, cargo can be loaded or unloaded, etc.
- the cover over such an opening.
an opening that serves as a doorway or window in the floor or roof of a building.

the cover over such an opening.
Slang. the throat as used for drinking: His usual toast was a muttered “Down the hatch!”
Aeronautics. an opening or door in an aircraft.
the lower half of a divided door, both parts of which can be opened separately.
a small door, grated opening, or serving counter in or attached to the wall of a building, room, etc., as for a merchant's stall.
a bin or compartment built into a confined space, especially a deep storage bin.
Automotive.
- the cargo area in a hatchback.
- Also called liftgate. the hinged lid of a hatchback that swings upward to provide access to the cargo area.
anything resembling a hatch.

Origin of hatch

First recorded before 1100; Middle English hacche, hache, hatche “lower half of a divided door, small door, gate,” Old English hæcc, hæc “grating, hatch, half-gate”; akin to Dutch hek “fence, gate, railing”

Other definitions for hatch (3 of 3)

hatch³

[ hach ]

verb (used with object)

to mark with lines, especially closely set parallel lines, as for shading in drawing or engraving.
hachure (def. 3).

noun

a shading line in drawing or engraving.

Origin of hatch

First recorded in 1470–80; earlier hache, from Middle French hacher “to cut up,” derivative of hache “ax”; see origin at hatchet

Dictionary.com Unabridged Based on the Random House Unabridged Dictionary, © Random House, Inc. 2023

How to use hatch in a sentence

Like everything on the Row of Life, Madsen’s 20-foot, self-righting rowboat, the food was stored in watertight hatches built around her seat, where for the next three months she planned to spend 12 hours a day rowing west.
A Death at Sea on the 'Row of Life' | Andrew Lewis | October 22, 2020 | Outside Online
Plans indicate an emergency egress shaft and a small hatch, but it is unclear whether passengers escaping a fire or breakdown would be expected to climb stairs or even a ladder.
Elon Musk’s Las Vegas Loop might only carry a fraction of the passengers it promised | David Riggs | October 16, 2020 | TechCrunch
While convenient on long off-road trips, swing-outs add a lot of weight and complicate the process of opening the rear hatch.
Inside My Custom Toyota Land Cruiser Build | Wes Siler | October 15, 2020 | Outside Online
The plan is to destroy the nest, hopefully before hornets that can start nests of their own hatch.
A new map shows where Asian giant hornets could thrive in the U.S. | Curtis Segarra | October 1, 2020 | Science News
That battening of the hatches against other viral invaders is different from the specific kind of immunity that comes from making antibodies against a particular virus.
What will happen when COVID-19 and the flu collide this fall? | Tina Hesman Saey | September 18, 2020 | Science News

The worst is probably to avoid paying taxes on the money and go to prison, like Survivor season one winner Richard hatch.
From Socially Isolated Nerd to Jeopardy! Bad Boy: A Thank You Note | Arthur Chu | November 27, 2014 | THE DAILY BEAST
“I would be proud, but my late mother said, ‘Don’t count your eggs, son, until they hatch,” he said.
For Next AG, Obama Picks a Quiet Fighter With a Heavy Punch | Michael Daly | November 8, 2014 | THE DAILY BEAST
Two of the victims, 15-year-old Andrew Fryberg and 14-year-old Nate hatch, were cousins of the shooter, according to relatives.
The Homecoming Prince Who Tweeted His Killing Spree | Brandy Zadrozny | October 24, 2014 | THE DAILY BEAST
So far, it is a small group, including just McCain, Lisa Murkowski of Alaska, and Orrin hatch of Utah.
There’s a Senate Civil War Coming, No Matter Who Wins in November | David Freedlander | October 14, 2014 | THE DAILY BEAST
The plan unveiled last January by hatch, Coburn and Burr is a good foundation.
What the GOP Will Do If It Wins Congress | Stuart Stevens | October 3, 2014 | THE DAILY BEAST
At that moment there came up the fore-hatch a yell, as if from the throat of a North American savage.
The Floating Light of the Goodwin Sands | R.M. Ballantyne
Fortunately, the hatch had been shut, and the deluge of water had not gone into the cabin, or the boat must have foundered.
The Rival Campers | Ruel Perley Smith
The first mate went to look into it and found Liosha standing enraptured at the hatch looking down upon a free fight.
Jaffery | William J. Locke
A very important fitting is a hatch by which the cockpit can be completely covered in in heavy weather.
Yachting Vol. 2 | Various.
The sailor sprung down the companion hatch, where he found the hawser coiled against the door, and heard Newton struggling inside.
Newton Forster | Captain Frederick Marryat

British Dictionary definitions for hatch (1 of 4)

hatch¹

/ (hætʃ) /

verb

to cause (the young of various animals, esp birds) to emerge from the egg or (of young birds, etc) to emerge from the egg
to cause (eggs) to break and release the fully developed young or (of eggs) to break and release the young animal within

(tr) to contrive or devise (a scheme, plot, etc)

noun

the act or process of hatching
a group of newly hatched animals

Origin of hatch

C13: of Germanic origin; compare Middle High German hecken to mate (used of birds), Swedish häcka to hatch, Danish hække

Derived forms of hatch

hatchable, adjective
hatcher, noun

British Dictionary definitions for hatch (2 of 4)

hatch²

/ (hætʃ) /

noun

a covering for a hatchway
- short for hatchway
- a door in an aircraft or spacecraft

Also called: serving hatch an opening in a wall between a kitchen and a dining area
the lower half of a divided door
a sluice or sliding gate in a dam, dyke, or weir
down the hatch slang (used as a toast) drink up!
under hatches
- below decks
- out of sight
- brought low; dead

Origin of hatch

Old English hæcc; related to Middle High German heck, Dutch hek gate

British Dictionary definitions for hatch (3 of 4)

hatch³

/ (hætʃ) /

verb

art to mark (a figure, shade, etc) with fine parallel or crossed lines to indicate shading: Compare hachure

Origin of hatch

C15: from Old French hacher to chop, from hache hatchet

Derived forms of hatch

hatching, noun

British Dictionary definitions for hatch (4 of 4)

hatch⁴

/ (hætʃ) /

noun

informal short for hatchback

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

Other Idioms and Phrases with hatch

hatch

see batten down the hatches; count one's chickens before they hatch; down the hatch.

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