Collins COBUILD Advanced Learner’s Dictionary полностью

bat|man /bæ tmæn/ (batmen ) N‑COUNT [usu sing, oft poss N ] In the British armed forces, an officer's batman is his personal servant.

ba|ton /bæ tɒn, [AM ] bətɑː n/ (batons )

1 N‑COUNT A baton is a short heavy stick which is sometimes used as a weapon by the police. [BRIT ] in AM, use billy , billy club 2 N‑COUNT A baton is a light, thin stick used by a conductor to conduct an orchestra or a choir.

3 N‑COUNT In athletics or track events, a baton is a short stick that is passed from one runner to another in a relay race.

4 N‑COUNT A baton is a long stick with a knob on one end that is sometimes carried by a person marching in a parade. The baton is spun round, thrown into the air and caught.

5 PHRASE If someone passes the baton to another person, they pass responsibility for something to that person. If someone picks up the baton , they take over responsibility for something. □  Does this mean that the baton of leadership is going to be passed to other nations?

ba |ton charge (baton charges , baton charging , baton charged ) also baton-charge N‑COUNT A baton charge is an attacking forward movement made by a large group of police officers carrying batons. [BRIT ] ● VERB Baton-charge is also a verb. [JOURNALISM ] □ [V n] Police in riot gear baton-charged the crowd.

bats|man /bæ tsmən/ (batsmen ) N‑COUNT The batsman in a game of cricket is the player who is batting. □  The batsman rose on his toes and played the rising ball down into the ground. □  He was the greatest batsman of his generation.

bat|tal|ion /bətæ ljən/ (battalions )

1 N‑COUNT A battalion is a large group of soldiers that consists of three or more companies. □  Anthony was ordered to return to his battalion. □  He joined the second battalion of the Grenadier Guards.

2 N‑COUNT A battalion of people is a large group of them, especially a well-organized, efficient group that has a particular task to do. □ [+ of ] There were battalions of highly paid publicists to see that such news didn't make the press.

bat|ten /bæ t ^ə n/ (battens , battening , battened )

1 N‑COUNT A batten is a long strip of wood that is fixed to something to strengthen it or to hold it firm. □  …a batten to support the base timbers.

2 VERB [usu passive] If something is battened in place, it is made secure by having battens fixed across it or being closed firmly. □ [be V -ed adv/prep] The roof was never securely battened down.

3to batten down the hatches → see hatch

bat|ter /bæ tə ^r / (batters , battering , battered )

1 VERB If someone is battered , they are regularly hit and badly hurt by a member of their family or by their partner. □ [be V -ed] …evidence that the child was being battered. □ [V n] …boys who witness fathers battering their mothers. □ [V -ed] …battered husbands. ●  bat|ter|ing N‑UNCOUNT □  Leaving the relationship does not mean that the battering will stop.

2 VERB To batter someone means to hit them many times, using fists or a heavy object. □ [V n prep/adv] He battered her around the head. □ [be V -ed] He was battered unconscious. [Also V n] ●  bat|tered ADJ □  Her battered body was discovered in a field.

3 VERB [usu passive] If a place is battered by wind, rain, or storms, it is seriously damaged or affected by very bad weather. □ [be V -ed] The country has been battered by winds of between fifty and seventy miles an hour. □ [V n] …a storm that's been battering the Northeast coastline.

4 VERB If you batter something, you hit it many times, using your fists or a heavy object. □ [V n] They were battering the door, they were breaking in. □ [V n adj] Batter the steaks flat.