bat´ter|er

bat|ter¹ «BAT uhr», verb, noun.

–v.t.

1. a) to strike with repeated blows so as to break, or get out of shape; pound: »

The fireman battered the door down with a heavy ax. Figurative. Blizzards battered Britain for the third day (Wall Street Journal).

b) to repeatedly beat or severely mistreat another person either physically or emotionally: »

Society genuinely abhors parents who beat children and spouses who batter each other (Time).

2. to damage by hard use: »

The books were old and battered.

–v.i.

to inflict repeated blows; pound: »

to batter away at a door.

–n. Printing.

1. a damaged place on the face of printing type or a stereotype plate.

2. a blur or defect in a sheet produced by bruised type.

3. the damaged type.

╂[probably < Old French batre beat < Latin battuere strike]

–bat´ter|er, noun.

bat|ter² «BAT uhr», noun, verb.

–n.

a thick liquid mixture of flour, milk, and eggs that becomes solid when cooked. Cakes, pancakes, and muffins are made from batter. A batter may always be poured, as distinguished from dough.

–v.t.

to make into a batter.

╂[perhaps < Old French bature a beating < batre; see etym. under batter¹ (Cf. ↑batter)]

bat|ter³ «BAT uhr», noun.

the player whose turn it is to bat in baseball, cricket, and similar games. Also, British, batsman.

╂[< bat¹ + -er¹]

bat|ter⁴ «BAT uhr», verb, noun.

–v.i., v.t.

to slant gradually backward from the base, as a retaining wall.

–n.

a decrease in thickness of a wall from base to top, made by slanting the outer face.

╂[perhaps < Old French abatre to beat down < Latin battuere to beat]