battery
battery
Pronunciation
The IPA phonetic spelling for "battery" is /ˈbæt.ə.ri/.
bat-: /bæt/
-ter-: /ə/
-y: /ri/
Word Form Variations
Singular Noun: battery
Plural Noun: batteries
Definitions, Synonyms and Antonyms
Noun
A device that converts chemical energy into electrical energy, used as a source of power.
Synonyms: cell, power pack, accumulator, power source
Antonyms: (No direct antonyms as it's a specific device; one might consider "power drain" or "power consumer" as conceptual opposites in terms of function, but not as a device.)
A series of similar things occurring together or used in conjunction.
Synonyms: array, set, series, collection, group, cluster
Antonyms: individual, single, isolated
(Baseball) The catcher and pitcher considered as a unit.
Synonyms: (No direct synonyms; "pitcher-catcher duo" or "pitching staff" might be related but not direct synonyms for the specific unit.)
Antonyms: (No direct antonyms.)
(Law) The act of physically striking someone, or the crime of doing so.
Synonyms: assault, physical attack, beating, striking, thrashing
Antonyms: defense, protection, peace, non-violence
Examples of Use
Books: "The small, portable radio, its battery nearly dead, crackled with static, barely picking up the distant news report." (From a novel describing a survival situation, actual title withheld for general example)
Newspapers: "New electric vehicle models boast significantly longer-lasting batteries, addressing a key concern for potential buyers." (From an article about automotive technology in The Wall Street Journal)
Online Publications: "Scientists are exploring innovative materials to create more efficient and sustainable batteries for renewable energy storage." (MIT Technology Review)
Entertainment Mediums (Film): In the movie Apollo 13, there's a critical scene where the astronauts and ground control must figure out how to power down non-essential systems to conserve the remaining battery power for their return to Earth.
Entertainment Platforms (Video Games): In the game The Legend of Zelda: Tears of the Kingdom, players collect "Energy Cells" which act as a battery for various Zonai devices, allowing them to power vehicles and contraptions.
General Public Discourse:
"My phone's battery died halfway through my commute, so I couldn't listen to my podcast."
"We need to replace the batteries in the smoke detector; they're chirping again."
"The police arrested him on charges of assault and battery after the altercation."
"The old fort still has a battery of cannons pointed out towards the sea."
10 Quotes Using Battery
"I am somewhat exhausted; I wonder how a battery feels when it pours electricity into a non-conductor?" (Arthur Conan Doyle, The Adventure of the Dying Detective)
"Marriage has no guarantees. If that's what you're looking for, go live with a car battery." (Erma Bombeck)
"Shutting off the thought process is not rejuvenating; the mind is like a car battery - it recharges by running." (Bill Watterson)
"I feel that sin and evil are the negative part of you, and I think it's like a battery: you've got to have the negative and the positive in order to be a complete person." (Dolly Parton)
"The depressing thing about battery technology is that it gets better, but it gets better slowly." (Nathan Myhrvold)
"A battery of field artillery is worth a thousand muskets." (William Tecumseh Sherman)
"I believe that the Apple Shuffle is an excellent compromise among the conflicting requirements of simplicity, elegance, size, battery life, and function." (Donald Norman)
"If you neglect to recharge a battery, it dies. And if you run full speed ahead without stopping for water, you lose momentum to finish the race." (Oprah Winfrey)
"Anger's like a battery that leaks acid right out of me." (Criss Jami, Healology)
"Transcendental Meditation, for me, has been a way of turning down the outside racket and turning up the bandwidth of instinct, intuition, concentration, attention. On the light ends, it's a power nap. On the strong ends, it's a giant battery, and that battery doesn't run out." (Ben Foster)
Etymology
The word "battery" has a pretty interesting journey through time and different meanings!
It all goes back to the Latin word "battuere," which meant "to beat" or "to strike." From there, it traveled into Old French as "baterie," meaning "the action of beating" or a "thrashing."
The first known uses of the word in English, around the 1500s, were related to this idea of beating.
One early meaning was the "action of battering," like repeatedly hitting something. This led to the legal term "battery," which is still used today to describe the unlawful act of physically striking or touching someone in an offensive way.
Soon after, in the mid-1500s, the word took on a military meaning. It referred to a "battery of cannons" – a group of artillery pieces working together to deliver a powerful, concentrated "beating" or bombardment on a fortress wall. Think of it as a coordinated attack with many guns.
In 1749, Benjamin Franklin borrowed this military idea to describe his electrical experiments. He had a collection of Leyden jars (early devices that could store an electric charge), and when he hooked several of them together to create a stronger electrical "discharge," he called this grouping a "battery." He saw an analogy between the powerful, collective action of cannons and the combined electrical force of his connected jars.
So, the "battery" in your phone or car ultimately gets its name from the idea of a group of cannons delivering a powerful blow! It’s all about a collection of similar things working together to produce a stronger effect.
Phrases + Idioms Containing Battery
Assault and battery: A legal term referring to a physical attack.
A battery of tests/questions: A series or set of similar items, often used in a formal or exhaustive context.
Running on empty (referring to a battery): Having very low energy or resources, like a device whose battery is nearly depleted.
Recharge one's batteries: To rest and regain energy after a period of activity or stress.
A dead battery: A battery that has no power left; metaphorically, someone or something that is completely exhausted or no longer functioning.
Low battery warning: An alert indicating that a device's power source is running low.
Nuclear battery: A type of battery that generates electricity from the decay of radioactive isotopes.
Heavy-duty battery: A battery designed for more demanding power needs or longer life.
Battery farm: A system of farming in which large numbers of animals are kept in very small cages or crowded conditions (though the word "battery" here refers to the systematic arrangement, reminiscent of military batteries, rather than an energy source).
Battery acid: The corrosive liquid found in some types of electrical batteries, often used metaphorically for something very harsh or destructive.
Vocabulary-Based Stories from SEA
Source Information
Definition of battery from The Academic Glossary at Self Exploration Academy, a Urikville Press Publication. © All rights reserved.
