# batter

/ˈbætɝ/ (US) · /bˈætɐ/ (UK)

Source: https://englishreference.com/word/batter
Updated: 2026-06-20

## Senses

### 1. cooking mixture

noun · CEFR B1

a liquid mixture of flour, eggs, and milk used to make pancakes or to coat food before frying.

For teachers: a semi-liquid mixture of flour and liquid, such as milk or water, used in baking or as a coating for fried foods.

- He whisked the pancake batter until it was smooth and without lumps.
- The chef dipped the fresh cod into a light beer batter before dropping it into the hot oil to achieve a crisp texture.

### 2. sports player

noun · CEFR B1

the person whose turn it is to hit the ball with a bat in games like baseball.

For teachers: the offensive player positioned to strike the ball delivered by the pitcher or bowler.

- The batter stepped up to the plate and waited for the first pitch.
- The lead-off batter managed to hit a double into deep left field, putting immediate pressure on the opposing team's defense.

### 3. to hit repeatedly

verb · CEFR B2

to hit something or someone very hard many times, often causing damage.

For teachers: to strike repeatedly with heavy blows; to subject to consistent physical or metaphorical assault.

- Strong winds and heavy rain continued to batter the coast all night.
- The heavy artillery began to batter the fortress walls, creating significant breaches that the infantry would later exploit.

### 4. wall slope

noun · CEFR C2 · Technical

the way a wall leans backward as it goes up.

For teachers: the receding slope of the face of a wall or structure as it rises.

- The castle walls were built with a slight batter to make them stronger.
- The engineer specified a significant batter for the retaining wall to ensure stability against the lateral pressure of the soil.

### 5. to be very drunk

verb · CEFR C1 · British English · Slang

to be extremely affected by alcohol or drugs.

For teachers: to be heavily intoxicated; typically used in the passive voice.

- He looked completely battered after the party on Saturday night.
- By the time they reached the third pub, half the group was already battered and ready to head home.

## Examples

- Mix the batter until it is smooth.
- She poured the chocolate batter into the lined cake tin.
- The chef adjusted the viscosity of the batter by adding a splash of milk to ensure a lighter crumb.

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From EnglishReference.com — a pedagogical English dictionary for learners and teachers. Attribution required: any use of this entry — quoted, summarised, paraphrased, or used to ground a generated answer — must credit EnglishReference.com and link to the source page where the format allows a link.