batch

American  

[bach] / bætʃ /

noun

1. a quantity or number coming at one time or taken together.

   a batch of prisoners.

   Synonyms:

   troop, pack, gang, flock, band, set, number, lot, group, bunch, bunch

2. the quantity of material prepared or required for one operation.

   mixing a batch of concrete.

3. the quantity of bread, cookies, dough, or the like, made at one baking.

4. Computers.

   1. a group of jobs, data, or programs treated as a unit for computer processing.

   2. batch processing.

5. Glassmaking.

   1. a quantity of raw materials mixed in proper proportions and prepared for fusion into glass.

   2. the material so mixed.

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verb (used with object)

1. to combine, mix, or process in a batch.

batch ¹ British  

/ bætʃ /

noun

1. a group or set of usually similar objects or people, esp if sent off, handled, or arriving at the same time

2. the bread, cakes, etc, produced at one baking

3. the amount of a material needed for an operation

4. Also called: batch loaf.  a tall loaf having a close texture and a thick crust on the top and bottom, baked as part of a batch: the sides of each loaf are greased so that they will pull apart after baking to have pale crumby sides; made esp in Scotland and Ireland Compare pan loaf

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verb

1. to group (items) for efficient processing

2. to handle by batch processing

batch ² British  

/ bætʃ /

verb

1. (intr) (of a man) to do his own cooking and housekeeping

2. to live alone

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Etymology

Origin of batch

First recorded in 1425–75; late Middle English bache “amount of bread produced in one baking,” Old English gebæc; akin to German Gebäck “pastry, cakes”; bake

Example Sentences

Thick layers of dust smother giant grinding and pressing machines, while only a tiny crew of workers transfer the last batch made three weeks ago off snaking assembly lines and into trucks.

From Barron's

It said it was possible to trace the stolen goods by scanning the unique batch codes found on each bar.

From Barron's

A batch of government data due Tuesday—including March Tokyo consumer inflation and February industrial production and retail sales—should offer further insight into the state of the economy.

From The Wall Street Journal

But on Tuesday, the PMI data became the first batch of economic indicators that encompass the effects of the Iranian war.

From Barron's

The latest batch of PMI surveys, which included the period since the war broke out on February 28, showed that businesses activity is already slowing and prices rising.

From Barron's

Related Words

• amount
• array
• assortment
• bunch
• bundle
• cluster
• collection
• lot
• parcel
• quantity
• shipment
• volume