Meaning & use
Battening
Last updated
Securing or fastening something down with strips of wood or metal, as in preparing a ship's hatches for a storm; also, thriving or growing prosperous at another's expense.
See it in a sentence
The crew spent the afternoon battening down the hatches before the hurricane hit.
Critics accused the executives of battening on the company's declining fortunes while employees suffered layoffs.
A note on using this word
The phrase "battening down the hatches," meaning to prepare for trouble, comes directly from the nautical practice of fastening battens over ship hatches to keep out rough seas.
Words with a similar meaning
Choose a synonym to suit the sentence. Meanings can overlap without being identical.
Words with an opposite meaning
Another way to use it
2. verb
To grow fat or thrive, especially at someone else's expense.
The landlord battened on rents from tenants who could barely afford them.
Make it your own
Write a sentence using “Battening”, then compare your use with the examples above.