also 7 battin, -oun, -une, 8 -on. [A variant of BATON sb., which in technical use preserved the earlier pronunciation, while batoon came in for the more general sense.]
1. Carp. and Build. A piece of squared timber, not more than 7 inches broad and 21/2 inches thick, used for flooring, and as a support for laths, etc.; a scantling. (The length may be anything over 6 feet; shorter pieces are known as batten-ends.)
1658. Jrnl., in I. Mather, Remark. Provid. (1856), 52. The battens next the chimney … were broken.
1743. Lond. & Country Brew., III. 179. Three Sides in four of its … second Floor should be built with wooden Battons about three Inches broad, and two thick.
1835. Penny Cycl., s.v., Battens are never, and deals are always, above seven inches wide.
2. spec. A bar or strip (orig. as in sense 1) nailed or glued across a door or anything composed of parallel boards, to hold these together, give strength, or prevent warping; a ledge, a clamp.
1663. Gerbier, Counsel, 94. Shutters … framed within with Battens.
1667. Primatt, City & C. Builder, 64. A good firm door of board … with handsome ledges or battouns for ornament.
1794. W. Felton, Carriages (1801), I. 21. The battens made of wood or thin iron plates, which cross the boards.
1859. Gullick & Timbs, Painting, 217. The best contrivance to preserve wood flat and sound is to strengthen the back with battens, or ledges.
3. Naut. A narrow strip of wood nailed to various parts of the masts and spars to preserve them from chafing; a similar strip used to fasten down the edges of the tarpaulin fixed over the hatchways to keep out the water in bad weather; also, a wooden bar (in place of a cleat) from which hammocks are slung.
1769. Falconer, Dict. Marine (1789), s.v., The battens serve to confine the edges of the tarpaulings down to the sides of the hatches.
1840. Marryat, Poor Jack, i. We were permitted to … hoist her … up again to the battens.
1840. R. H. Dana, Bef. Mast, iii. 5. This chafing gear consists of … roundings, battens, and service of all kinds. Ibid., xxix. 98. We took the battens from the hatches, and opened the ship.
4. Comb., as batten-door, a door formed of narrow boards, held together by ‘battens’ or cross-pieces nailed to them. Cf. BATTENED.
