Batten \Bat"ten\, n. [F. battant. See {Batter}, v. t.] The movable bar of a loom, which strikes home or closes the threads of a woof.
Batten \Bat"ten\ (b[a^]t"t'n), v. t. [imp. & p. p. {Battened} (b[a^]t"t'nd); p. pr. & vb. n. {Battening}.] [See {Batful}.] 1. To make fat by plenteous feeding; to fatten. ``Battening our flocks.'' --Milton.
2. To fertilize or enrich, as land.
Batten \Bat"ten\, v. i. To grow fat; to grow fat in ease and luxury; to glut one's self. --Dryden.
The pampered monarch lay battening in ease. --Garth.
Skeptics, with a taste for carrion, who batten on the hideous facts in history, -- persecutions, inquisitions. --Emerson.
Batten \Bat"ten\, n. [F. b[^a]ton stick, staff. See {Baton}.] A strip of sawed stuff, or a scantling; as, (a) pl. (Com. & Arch.) Sawed timbers about 7 by 2 1/2 inches and not less than 6 feet long. --Brande & C. (b) (Naut.) A strip of wood used in fastening the edges of a tarpaulin to the deck, also around masts to prevent chafing. (c) A long, thin strip used to strengthen a part, to cover a crack, etc.
{Batten door} (Arch.), a door made of boards of the whole length of the door, secured by battens nailed crosswise.
Batten \Bat"ten\, v. t. To furnish or fasten with battens.
{To batten down}, to fasten down with battens, as the tarpaulin over the hatches of a ship during a storm.
Lathe \Lathe\ (l[=a][th]), n. [OE. lathe a granary; akin to G. lade a chest, Icel. hla[eth]a a storehouse, barn; but cf. also Icel. l["o][eth] a smith's lathe. Senses 2 and 3 are perh. of the same origin as lathe a granary, the original meaning being, a frame to hold something. If so, the word is from an older form of E. lade to load. See {Lade} to load.] 1. A granary; a barn. [Obs.] --Chaucer.
2. (Mach.) A machine for turning, that is, for shaping articles of wood, metal, or other material, by causing them to revolve while acted upon by a cutting tool.
3. The movable swing frame of a loom, carrying the reed for separating the warp threads and beating up the weft; -- called also {lay} and {batten}.
{Blanchard lathe}, a lathe for turning irregular forms after a given pattern, as lasts, gunstocks, and the like.
{Drill lathe}, or {Speed lathe}, a small lathe which, from its high speed, is adapted for drilling; a hand lathe.
{Engine lathe}, a turning lathe in which the cutting tool has an automatic feed; -- used chiefly for turning and boring metals, cutting screws, etc.
{Foot lathe}, a lathe which is driven by a treadle worked by the foot.
{Geometric lathe}. See under {Geometric}
{Hand lathe}, a lathe operated by hand; a power turning lathe without an automatic feed for the tool.
{Slide lathe}, an engine lathe.
{Throw lathe}, a small lathe worked by one hand, while the cutting tool is held in the other.
Interest Rates It's time to batten down the hatches in the bond and bond-futures markets this week as fears about rising inflation and falling bond prices pervade traders' market outlook, futures analysts said.
'Batten Down the Hatches And Cut Excessive Spending' Jeno Paulucci, a Florida businessman who made a fortune in frozen pizza and canned chop suey, says, "It's time to batten down the hatches and cut waste and excessive spending.