batlet

English

Etymology

From bat +‎ -let. Probably a spurious word, in the 20th century reborrowed from word-lists. Both this and batler are only known from the same Shakespeare locus; neither is it known that battler means a fuller’s beetle but him who beetles or “posses” the clothes. However for the meaning of a flat cuboid on a handle to clean textiles by muscles battril, which could be a metathesis of batler, is known to have been used in the Lancashire dialect, such as by Tim Bobbin on multiple occasions.

Pronunciation

• IPA^(key): /ˈbætlət/

Noun

batlet (plural batlets)

1. A short bat for beating clothes when washing them.
   • c. 1598–1600 (date written), William Shakespeare, “As You Like It”, in Mr. William Shakespeares Comedies, Histories, & Tragedies […] (First Folio), London: […] Isaac Iaggard, and Ed[ward] Blount, published 1623, →OCLC, [Act II, scene iv], page 191, column 2:

     Clo[wn]. And I mine: I remember when I was in loue, I broke my ſword vpon a ſtone, and bid him take that for comming a night to Iane Smile, and I remember the kiſſing of her batler [var. batlet], and the Cowes dugs that her prettie chopt hands had milk’d; […]

   • 1992, Christina Hardyment, Home Comfort: A History of Domestic Arrangements ; in Association with the National Trust:

     These 'batlets', which had of necessity to be made from well-seasoned wood, were evidently prized household items, often intricately carved on the upper surface.

   • 2012, Jude Deveraux, A Knight in Shining Armor, Simon and Schuster, →ISBN, page 258:

     "If you come between me and my actions again, I will take a batlet to you." He shoved past her so hard that Dougless nearly fell against the wall, and she watched with a heavy heart as he strode angrily down the path and out through the door ...

Synonyms

• batling staff
• batting staff
• battledore
• clap staff
• fuller’s beetle
• laundry bat
• washing bat
• washing beetle
• washing paddle

Translations

Laundry-beater — see battledore

Further reading

• “Belles Lettres”, in The Westminster Review‎, volumes 52 of the new series and 108 overall, 1877 July 2, pages 284–285
• “battler, n.2.”, in OED Online ⁠, Oxford: Oxford University Press, launched 2000
• “batler, n.”, in OED Online ⁠, Oxford: Oxford University Press, launched 2000

Anagrams

• Battle, battel, battle, tablet