batter

2 syllables

Quick answer

As a verb, batter means hit or strike violently and repeatedly. As a noun, it means a beaten mixture of flour and liquid (usually egg and milk), used for baking (e.g. pancakes, cake, or Yorkshire pudding) or to coat food (e.g. fish) prior to frying.

Meanings of batter

19 meanings

verb

To hit or strike violently and repeatedly.
“The firemen battered down the door.”
cookingTo coat with batter (the food ingredient).
“I prefer it when they batter the cod with breadcrumbs.”
figurativeTo defeat soundly; to thrash.
“Leeds United battered Charlton 7-0.”
UKslangusually in the passiveTo intoxicate.
“That cocktails will batter you!”
“I was battered last night on our pub crawl.”
metalworkingTo flatten (metal) by hammering, so as to compress it inwardly and spread it outwardly.
architectureTo slope (of walls, buildings etc.).
Strike against forcefully
“Winds buffeted the tent”
Similar: buffet, knock about
Make a dent or impression in
“dinge a soft hat”
Similar: dinge

Older and rare meanings (1)

UKobsoleteTo coat in a paste-like substance; to fasten with a paste-like glue.

noun

cookingA beaten mixture of flour and liquid (usually egg and milk), used for baking (e.g. pancakes, cake, or Yorkshire pudding) or to coat food (e.g. fish) prior to frying.
“pancake batter”
“To the dismay of his mother, the boy put his finger into the cake batter.”
slangA binge; a heavy drinking session.
“When he went on a batter, he became very violent.”
A paste of clay or loam.
printingA bruise on the face of a plate or of type in the form.
An incline on the outer face of a built wall.
baseballThe player attempting to hit the ball with a bat.
“The first batter hit the ball into the corner for a double.”
cricketA player of the batting side now on the field.
cricketThe player now receiving strike; the striker.
cricketAny player selected for his or her team principally to bat, as opposed to a bowler.
(baseball) a ballplayer who is battingperson
Similar: hitter, slugger