v.
1 a tr. strike repeatedly with hard blows, esp. so as to cause visible damage. b intr. (often foll. by against, at, etc.) strike repeated blows; pound heavily and insistently (batter at the door).
2 tr. (often in passive) a handle roughly, esp. over a long period. b censure or criticize severely.
Phrases and idioms:
battered baby an infant that has suffered repeated violence from adults, esp. its parents. battered wife a wife subjected to repeated violence by her husband. battering-ram hist. a heavy beam, orig. with an end in the form of a carved ram's head, used in breaching fortifications.
Derivatives:
batterer n.
Etymology: ME f. AF baterer f. OF batre beat f. L battuere
2.
n.
1 a fluid mixture of flour, egg, and milk or water, used in cooking, esp. for pancakes and for coating food before frying.
2 Printing an area of damaged type.
Etymology: ME f. AF batour f. OF bateuumlre f. batre: see BATTER(1)
3.
n. Sport a player batting, esp. in baseball.
4.
n. & v.
—n.
1 a wall etc. with a sloping face.
2 a receding slope.
—v.intr. have a receding slope.
Etymology: ME: orig. unkn.
Useful english dictionary. 2012.