hatch

I. noun Etymology: Middle English hache, from Old English hæc; akin to Middle Dutch hecke trapdoor Date: before 12th century 1. a small door or opening (as in an airplane or spaceship) <

an escape hatch

> 2. a. an opening in the deck of a ship or in the floor or roof of a building b. the covering for such an opening c. hatchway d. compartment 3. floodgate II. verb Etymology: Middle English hacchen; akin to Middle High German hecken to mate Date: 13th century intransitive verb 1. to produce young by incubation 2. a. to emerge from an egg, chrysalis, or pupa b. to give forth young or imagoes 3. to incubate eggs ; brood transitive verb 1. a. to produce (young) from an egg by applying natural or artificial heat b. incubate 1a 2. to bring into being ; originate; especially to concoct in secret <

hatch a plot

> • hatchability noun • hatchable adjective • hatcher noun III. noun Date: 1601 1. an act or instance of hatching 2. a brood of hatched young IV. transitive verb Etymology: Middle French hacher to chop, slice up, incise with fine lines, from Old French hachier — more at hash Date: 15th century 1. to inlay with narrow bands of distinguishable material <

a silver handle hatched with gold

> 2. to mark (as a drawing or engraving) with fine closely spaced lines V. noun Date: 1658 line; especially one used to give the effect of shading