verb
batten
To thrive or grow fat at someone else's expense.
The dishonest agent battens on the profits of other people's labor.
Etymology
From a Scandinavian verb meaning to improve or grow better. The older English sense “grow fat” developed into prospering at another's expense.
More examples
- Critics accused the officials of battening on public funds.
- The landlord battened on tenants who had few alternatives.
- He refuses to batten on his relatives' generosity.
Forms
batten · battens · battened · battening