/ˈbætɒn/, /ˈbæt(ə)n/, /bəˈtɑn/
OriginFrom French bâton. Doublet of baston.
- A staff or truncheon, used for various purposes.
- A ceremonial staff of a field marshal or a similar high-ranking military office.
- The stick of a conductor in musical performances.
“The conductor raised his baton and the orchestra fell silent.”
- An object transferred by runners in a relay race.
“In the relay race, the runner dropped the baton.”
- A rod twirled in a marching band's performance, in a gymnastic sport, or in juggling.
- USA short stout club used primarily by policemen.
“The police officer carried a baton for self-defense.”
- A bend with the ends cut off, resembling a baton, typically borne sinister, and often used as a mark of cadency, initially for both legitimate and illegitimate children, but later chiefly for illegitimate children.
“Alternative forms: batune, baston”
- A short vertical lightweight post, not set into the ground, used to separate wires in a fence.
- A batonnet, a long slice of a vegetable, thicker than a julienne.
- A short baguette.
- figuratively, transitiveTo strike with a baton.
“She passed the baton to her successor after retiring.”
“accept/refuse/receive the baton”
Formsbatons(plural) · bâton(alternative) · batons(present, singular, third-person) · batoning(participle, present) · batoned(participle, past) · batoned(past)