Merriam-Webster's Collegiate® Dictionary, 11th Edition
BATTER
I. verb
Etymology: Middle English bateren, probably frequentative of batten to bat, from bat
Date: 14th century
transitive verb
1. to beat with successive blows so as to bruise, shatter, or demolish, bombard , to subject to strong, overwhelming, or repeated attack , to wear or damage by hard usage or blows , intransitive verb to strike heavily and repeatedly ; beat , see: maim batterer noun
II. noun
Etymology: Middle English bater, probably from bateren
Date: 14th century
1. a mixture consisting chiefly of flour, egg, and milk or water and being thin enough to pour or drop from a spoon, a mixture (as of flour and egg) used as a coating for food that is to be fried, an instance of battering,
III. transitive verb
Date: 1973
to coat (food) with batter for frying,
IV. noun
Etymology: origin unknown
Date: 1743
a receding upward slope of the outer face of a structure,
V. transitive verb
Date: circa 1882
to give a receding upward slope to (as a wall), V
I. noun
Date: 1773
one that bats