bat·ter·y ( b²t"…-r¶) n. pl. bat·ter·ies 1. a. The act of beating or pounding. b. Law The unlawful and unwanted touching or striking of one person by another, with the intention of bringing about a harmful or offensive contact. 2. a. An emplacement for one or more pieces of artillery. b. A set of guns or other heavy artillery, on a warship, for example. c. Abbr. btry. An army artillery unit, corresponding to a company in the infantry. 3. a. An array of similar things intended for use together: took a battery of achievement tests. b. An impressive body or group: a battery of political supporters. 4. Baseball The pitcher and catcher. 5. Music The percussion section of an orchestra. 6. Electricity a. Two or more connected cells that produce a direct current by converting chemical energy to electrical energy. b. A single cell, such as a dry cell, that produces an electric current. [Middle English batri forged metal ware from Old French baterie a beating from batre to batter; See batter 1 ]

Bat·ter·y ( b²t"…-r¶) also Battery Park 1. A park at the southern tip of Manhattan Island at the upper end of New York Bay in southeast New York. It is the site of early Dutch and English fortifications and of Castle Clinton, built in 1808 for the defense of the harbor.

but·ter·y 1 ( b¾t"…-r¶) adj. 1. Resembling, containing, or spread with butter. 2. Marked by effusive and insincere flattery. but "ter·i·ness n.

but·ter·y 2 ( b¾t"…-r¶, b ¾t"r¶) n. pl. but·ter·ies 1. A room in which liquors are stored. 2. Chiefly British A place in colleges and universities where students may buy provisions. [Middle English buttrie from Anglo-Norman buterie alteration of botelerie from Old French botele bottle; See bottle ]

cut·ler·y ( k¾t"l…-r¶) n. 1. Cutting instruments and tools. 2. Utensils such as knives, forks, and spoons used as tableware. 3. The occupation of a cutler. [Middle Engish cutellerie from Old French coutelerie from coutel knife; See cutlass ]

jit·ter·y ( j¹t"…-r¶) adj. jit·ter·i·er jit·ter·i·est 1. Having or feeling nervous unease: a jittery vigil in the dark. 2. Marked by jittering movements: a jittery ride over rough terrain. jit "ter·i·ness n.

Kit·ter·y ( k¹t"…-r¶) 1. A town of extreme southwest Maine opposite Portsmouth, New Hampshire. The oldest town in Maine (settled c. 1623), it has long been a shipbuilding center. Population, 5,465.

lath·er ( l²th"…r) n. 1. A foam formed by soap or detergent agitated in water, as in washing or shaving. 2. Froth formed by profuse sweating, as on a horse. 3. Informal A condition of anxious or heated discomposure; agitation: The students were in a lather over the proposed restrictions. v. lath·ered lath·er·ing lath·ers v. tr. 1. To spread with or as if with lather. 2. Informal To give a beating to; whip. v. intr. 1. To produce lather; foam. 2. To become coated with lather. [Probably from Middle English latheren to wash or soak clothes from Old English l¶thran to cover with lather; See leu( …)- in Indo-European Roots.] lath "er·er n. lath "er·y adj.

lot·ter·y ( l¼t"…-r¶) n. pl. lot·ter·ies 1. Games A contest in which tokens are distributed or sold, the winning token or tokens being secretly predetermined or ultimately selected in a random drawing. 2. A selection made by lot from a number of applicants or competitors: The state uses a lottery to assign spaces in the campground. 3. An activity or event regarded as having an outcome depending on fate: They considered combat duty a lottery. [French loterie probably from Dutch loterije from Middle Dutch from lot lot]

pot·ter·y ( p¼t"…-r¶) n. pl. pot·ter·ies 1. Ware, such as vases, pots, bowls, or plates, shaped from moist clay and hardened by heat. 2. The craft or occupation of a potter. 3. The place where a potter works. [French poterie from Old French from potier potter from pot pot; See potiche ]

tot·ter ( t¼t"…r) v. intr. tot·tered tot·ter·ing tot·ters 1. a. To sway as if about to fall. b. To appear about to collapse: an empire that had begun to totter. 2. To walk unsteadily or feebly; stagger. [Middle English toteren perhaps of Scandinavian origin] tot "ter n. tot "ter·er n. tot "ter·y adj.