battened down
Prepared for storms
Battened down means secured against harsh conditions, especially storms.
The phrase comes from nautical practice—sailors batten down hatches by fastening them with strips of wood (battens) before rough weather.
The figurative use dominates now: We battened down ahead of the hurricane, The company battened down for the recession.
To batten down the hatches is to prepare for trouble.
- bracedSteadied against force
- hatchOpening in deck or floor
- girdedEncircled with a band
- barricadedSealed off defensively
- lashedFastened with bindings
brace for impact · fastened · shuttered · bolt · secure · stormproof · anchored · sealed · weatherproofed · reinforced · stockpiled · prepared · moored · ready · all hands on deck · safeguarded · fortified · stabilized
battened downexposed
Out in open
unprepared · vulnerable · unprotected · defenseless · caught off guard
batten, battened, battening, battens, down, downed, downing, downs, downer