batten down the hatches
Prepare for trouble
Batten down the hatches is a nautical expression that has become a common idiom for preparing for trouble or difficulty.
On ships, hatches are openings in the deck, and battens are strips used to secure covers over them before a storm.
The phrase now applies to any situation where someone takes precautions against anticipated problems: With the recession looming, companies are battening down the hatches.
It suggests both urgency and practical preparation.
- close quartersRestricted space, minimal distance
- clear the decksRemove obstacles before starting
- weather the stormEndure a difficult period
- ride out the stormEndure difficulty until it passes
- rough seasTurbulent ocean conditions
in the teeth of · fend off · brace · fortify · shore up · by and large · hard and fast · gale · button up · tie up · lock and load · safeguard · nail down · squall · zip up · secure · hold the fort · awash
- Nautical Idiomsall hands on deck, smooth sailing, three sheets to the wind, in the same boat, rock the boat
- pirate talkahoy, arr, argh, aye, aye aye
batten down the hatcheslet one's guard down
Cease being defensive
drop one's guard · throw caution to the wind · rest on one's laurels · bury one's head in the sand · tempt fate
batten down the hatchesrelax
Become less tense
unwind · let loose · take it easy · kick back · chill out
batten down the hatchesopen the floodgates
Remove barriers to overwhelming flow
open up · expose oneself · come out of one's shell · leave the door open
batten, battens, battened, battening, downer, downs, downed, hatch, hatches