Obs. Forms: 6 battill, battell, 7 batle, 7, 9 battel, 6– battle. [See BATTLE a., of which this appears to be a derivative, and cf. the synonymous BATT-EN v.1
(As we cannot be quite sure whether the pr. pple. in the earliest instances is trans. ‘feeding,’ or intr. ‘thriving, flourishing,’ the order of development is uncertain. If derived from the adj., we should expect the earliest sense to be ‘to render pasture or land battle, to fertilize.’)]
I. transitive.
† 1. To nourish cattle, as a rich pasture does; to feed or nourish (men or beasts). Obs.
1548. Udall, Erasm. Par. Luke Pref. 3. The fatte batleyng yearth of the Paraphrase.
1617. Collins, Def. Bp. Ely, I. ii. 120. As they may wish wel to the childe, that are not particularly put in trust to battle it, or to giue it suck.
1653. A. Wilson, Jas. I., 43. A Courtier from his infancie, Batteld by Art, and industrie.
1655. Moufet & Bennet, Health’s Improv. 190. Snails … towards winter, having … batled themselves fat with sleep.
1662. Fuller, Worthies, I. 229. [see BATTLING ppl. a.2 1].
† 2. To render (soil) fertile and productive. Obs.
1611. Cotgr., Engraisser un champ, to battle it, or make it fertile.
1662. Fuller, Worthies (1840), I. 399. Ashes are a marvellous improvement to battle barren ground. Ibid., III. 40. Dove … is the Nilus of Staffordshire, much battling the Meadowes thereof.
II. intransitive.
† 3. Of men and animals: To grow fat, to thrive.
1575. Turberv., Venerie, 189. The badgerd battles much with slepe and is a verie fat beast.
1601. Holland, Pliny, IX. xxxi. In autumne and spring they battle and wax fat.
1656. Trapp, Comm. 1 Pet. ii. 2. Like the changeling Luther mentioneth, ever sucking, never batling.
1699. Coles, Battle, as cattle turned into rank ground, impascor, vescor … Battle [get flesh] pinguesco.
1721. Bailey, Battle, to feed as Cattle do; to grow fat.
† 4. To become fertile and fruitful. Obs.
1576. Foxe, A. & M., To Rdr. ¶ ij b. These with fatnes of their bloud dyd cause it [fieldes of the church] to battell and fructifie.
1578. Chr. Prayers, in Priv. Prayers Q. Eliz. (1851), 516. That the good seed … battle, as in good ground, and bring forth plentiful fruit.
