plural batteries
Definition of battery
1a
: the act of beating someone or something with successive blows : the act of battering (see batter entry 1 sense 1)
b
law
: an offensive touching or use of force on a person without the person's consent
evidence that supports a charge of battery
— compare assault entry 1 sense 2a
2
[Middle French batterie, from battre to beat] military
a
: a grouping of artillery pieces for tactical (see tactical sense 1a(1)) purposes
a battery of cannon from the Revolutionary War
b
: the guns of a warship
the starboard battery
3
military
: an artillery (see artillery sense 2b) unit in the army equivalent to a company (see company entry 1 sense 2b)
4a
: a combination of apparatus for producing a single electrical effect
a battery of generators
b
: a group of two or more cells (see cell sense 5) connected together to furnish electric current
also
: a single cell that furnishes electric current
need to replace the flashlight's batteries
c
batteries plural
: level of energy or enthusiasm
needs a vacation to recharge her batteries
5a(1)
: a number of similar articles, items, or devices arranged, connected, or used together : set, series
ran through a battery of tests a battery of filing cabinets
(2)
: a series of cages or compartments for raising or fattening poultry
—often used before another noun battery chickensbattery farming
b
: a usually impressive or imposing group : array
a battery of specialists
6
: the position of readiness of a gun for firing
the gun would not return to battery — Infantry Journal
7
baseball
: the pitcher and catcher of a team
one of the greatest batteries in baseball history
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Time Traveler for battery
The first known use of battery was in 1531
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