[f. BATTER v.1]
1. The action of beating with successive blows, esp. in Mil. of attacking a fortification with cannon or other engines. Also fig.
1542. Udall, Erasm. Apoph., 220 a. His manier of battreyng.
1647. W. Browne, Polex., II. 180. The Turkes … after two daies battering, wonne it [the palace] by force.
1678. Cudworth, Intell. Syst., I. i. § 43. A most Effectual Engine … for the battering of all their Atheistical Structure down about their Ears.
1862. Thackeray, Philip, I. 89. Amidst enthusiastic battering of glasses.
2. The result of this action; bruising or defacement caused by successive blows.
1558. Phaër, Æneid, in Webbe, Eng. Poetrie (1870), 50. Helmets, skulles, with battrings marrd.
1591. Percivall, Sp. Dict., Desabollar, to beate out the batterings in a peece of armor or plate.
3. attrib. a. in ancient warfare, battering-engine, an engine constructed for breaking down walls; so battering-machine, BATTERING-RAM.
b. in modern warfare, battering-train, a number of cannon specially intended for siege purposes; so battering-artillery, -cannon, -gun, -piece.
c. battering-charge, the full charge of powder for a cannon.
a. 1774. Collyer, Hist. Eng., II. 84. He assaulted the castle … with battering engines.
1852. Grote, Greece, II. lxxxi. X. 560. He distributed his army into two parts, each provided with battering machines.
b. 1577. Holinshed, Chron., III. 875/1. They raised their siege, cheeflie bicause they had no great battering peeces to ouerthrow the walles.
1697. Lond. Gaz., No. 3319/2. Having ordered a Train of Battering Artillery to be provided.
1753. Hanway, Trav., I. VII. xcvii. 452. Ten pieces of large brass battering Cannon.
1810. Wellington, in Gurw., Disp., V. 593. They are bringing a Battering Train into Spain from France.
c. 1868. Morn. Star, 17 June. A charge of 100lb. is now considered the full battering charge.
1885. Pall Mall Gaz., 13 April, 2/1. With a full battering charge (900 lb. of powder).
