| Idiom | Batten Down the Hatches |
|---|---|
| Example | We'd better batten down the hatches: The weather service says a tropical storm is headed our way. |
| Meaning | to get ready for trouble; prepare for any emergency |
| Origin | This is a nautical term that comes from the early 1800s. On a ship, sailors prepared for stormy weather by nailing waterproofed pieces of canvas and wood (battens) over the entryways (hatches) to the cargo area below the main deck. Today you "batten down the hatches" when you prepare for any kind of trouble. |
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