[Only in the Shaksp. Folio of 1623, and subseq. editions, in loc. cit., where the Quartos have battero, and bat (stick, rough walking-stick); besides which, batton, battoun, ‘stick, cudgel’ obs. f. BATON (q.v.) is a probable emendation. Bailey (1742) has ‘Ballow, a pole, a long stick, quarter-staff, etc. Shakesp.’ (quoted by Halliwell as ‘Northern’): but no such word seems to exist, or to have any etymological justification.]
1605. Shaks., Lear, IV. vi. 247. Ice try whither your Costard, or my Ballow be the harder.
[Cf. 1675. Cotton, Scoffer Scoft, 44. With my Battoon I’le bang his sconce.]
