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batten down the hatches

Prepare for trouble, as in Here comes the boss—batten down the hatches. This term originated in the navy, where it signified preparing for a storm by fastening down canvas over doorways and hatches (openings) with strips of wood called battens. [Late 1800s]

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Batten down the hatches and don't make a sound - this week sees director Danny Boyle and writer Alex Garland unleash 28 Years Later.

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The prime minister will be wanting to "get things sorted out, batten down the hatches and get things moving forward," Baroness Harman said.

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Batten down the hatches: We’re facing “economic headwinds.”

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Now TV’s top prizes must batten down the hatches for a major contraction.

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"Companies continued to batten down the hatches by cutting purchasing, not replacing leavers and focusing on smart inventory management to minimise any unnecessary plant costs," said Usamah Bhatti at S&P Global Market Intelligence, which compiled the survey.

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Battenburg batten plate

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