hatch
hatch · noun/verb
Definitions
noun/verb
- 1.
An opening in a floor, wall, or deck, typically with a cover or door.
- 2.
(Of an egg) to open and produce a young animal; (of a young animal) to emerge from an egg.
- 3.
A small door or opening in an aircraft, spacecraft, or submarine.
- 4.
To cause eggs to incubate and produce young.
- 5.
A brood of newly hatched animals.
- 6.
To devise or formulate a plan or idea, especially in secret.
Forms
plural: hatches
Phrases & expressions
- •hatch a plan/plot — to devise a scheme, often secretly
- •batten down the hatches — to prepare for trouble or difficulty
- •down the hatch — said before drinking, especially alcohol
- •count your chickens before they hatch — to rely on something that hasn't happened yet
Related words
Etymology
The verb comes from Old English hæccan, of Germanic origin. The noun meaning "opening" comes from Old English hæc ("grating, gate"). The two meanings have different etymological origins but share the same modern spelling.