battens down
Prepares for storms
To batten down is to secure something against bad weather or trouble, originally a nautical term for fastening wooden strips (battens) over a ship's hatches before a storm.
The phrase now applies broadly to any preparation for difficulty: With the hurricane approaching, residents battened down their homes.
The company battened down ahead of the recession.
- sandbagsFilled sacks for barriers
- hatchOpening in deck or floor
- tarpaulinWaterproof protective sheeting
- storm shuttersProtective window coverings for weather
- barricadeObstacle blocking a path
cleat · evacuation · emergency supplies · rampart · stockpile · fortitude · shelter · hurricane season · grit · resolve · weather the storm · bulwark · anchor · rough seas · composure · hold tight · perseverance · stoicism