batch

Meanings

1. 1
   noun

   a large number or amount or extent, often followed by `of'

   I received a batch of letters.

2. 2
   verb

   to batch together

   I batched the files.

3. 3
   noun

   The quantity of bread or other baked goods baked at one time.

   We made a batch of cookies to take to the party.

4. 4
   noun

   A quantity of anything produced at one operation.

   We poured a bucket of water in at the top, and the ice-maker dispensed a batch of ice-cubes at the bottom.

5. 5
   noun

   A group or collection of things of the same kind, such as a batch of letters or the next batch of business.

   c. 1710-1720, Lady Mary Wortley Montagu, Epistle to Lord Hervey on the King's Birthday a new batch of Lords

6. 6
   noun

   A set of data to be processed at one time.

   The system throttled itself to batches of 50 requests at a time to keep the thread count under control.

7. 7
   noun

   A graduating class; school class.

   She was the valedictorian of Batch ’73.

8. 8
   noun

   The process of baking.

   Except the baker doe his part also in the batch.

Etymology

From Middle English bach, bache, bahche, from Old English *bæċċ (“something baked”), of uncertain origin, but possibly from Proto-West Germanic *bakku, from Proto-Germanic *bakkuz (“baking, baked goods”), cognate with Middle High German becke (“something baked, pastry, baking, bakery”). Related also to Old English bacan (“to bake”), Old English ġebæc (“something baked”), Dutch gebak, German Gebäck, Dutch baksel.