batten down the hatches

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Fig. to prepare for difficult times. (From a nautical expression meaning, literally, to seal the hatches against the arrival of a storm. The word order is fixed.) Here comes that contentious Mrs. Jones. Batten down the hatches! Batten down the hatches, Congress is in session again.

See also: hatch

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35pm The residents of an Arizona town are forced to batten down the hatches and reach for the flame-throwers when mutant spiders are created by a toxic waste spill but the rampaging arachnids have 11'ed an insatiable appetite for human flesh. MOVIES by South Wales Echo (Cardiff, Wales) Byline: PAUL O'HEHIR RICHARD DUNNE is ready to batten down the hatches tomorrow night as he anticipates an attacking onslaught from France. DUNNE'S CASE FOR THE IRISH DEFENCE by The Mirror (London, England) Byline: STUART WATKINS AS SOME of our close European neighbours emerge from recession the temptation could be for business in this country to look inward, to batten down the hatches and focus on reliable, known markets for fear of further risk. This is not the time to 'play safe' by The Journal (Newcastle, England)			barrel out barter barter away barter for barter off barter with base base on base opinion on bash bash against bash around bash in bash up bask in basket basket case bat bat an eye bat around bat for the other side bath bathe in bathroom bats batten down the hatches batter batter down batter up battery batting battle battle against battle for battle of the bulge battle out bawl bawl out bay bay at be [glad etc.] to see the back of be a [athlete etc.] in the making be a [crisis etc.] in the making be a [Londoner etc.] through and through be a barrel of laughs be a bed of nails be a bit much be a blessing in disguise be a bundle of laughs be a bundle of nerves be a chapter of accidents			Battelle Institute Learning Automation Battelle Integrity of Nuclear Piping Battelle Marine Sciences Laboratory Battelle Memorial Institute Battelle Memorial Institute Reactor Battelle National Biodefense Institute Battelle Northwest Laboratory Battelle Pacific Northwest Laboratory Battelle Pulmonary Therapeutics Battelle Science and Technology International Battelle World Detergent Program Battelle-Northwest Laboratories Battels Battels battement Battement par Minute battements batten batten batten batten Batten disease Batten disease Batten disease Batten disease Batten Disease Family Association Batten Disease Support & Research Association Batten door Batten door batten down batten down the hatches Batten Down Your Heart Batten Kill Railroad Company Inc. Batten Kill Valley Runners batten on batten onto batten plate batten plate batten roll batten seam Batten Venture Internship Program Batten's Disease Batten's Disease Batten's Disease Gene Batten, Barton, Durstine & Osborn Batten, Jean Batten, Jean Batten, William Batten-Mayou disease Battenberg Battenberg (disambiguation) Battenberg cake Battenberg cake Battenberg cakes Battenberg family Battenbergs battenboard Battenburg battened battened

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