DCHP-1 Online
batture [< Cdn F] 
1 n. Obs. a shoal or rocky shore, usually exposed at low water.
- 1808 (1960) A strong Batture on left near beginning of the course, with a very high and rugged rock.
- 1822 The weather was remarkably cold during last night, & considerable quantities of ice were seen on the battures this morning
- 1808 (1960) A strong Batture on left near beginning of the course, with a very high and rugged rock.
2 n. Obs. an expanse of river beach; strand.
- 1825 (1931) Forded the River twice and Encamped on the Bature at Sun Set.
- 1873 (1922) Our mode of progress was . . . going ashore and hauling the boat when the wide beach called a "Batture" was on our side of the river.
- 1912 These "bottoms" were called "battures" by the voyageurs.
- 1825 (1931) Forded the River twice and Encamped on the Bature at Sun Set.
3 n. a sand bar, especially one that forms a small island when the water is low.
- 1814 (1897) Our people went on a few miles and then camped to dry their packs on a batture (sand bar).
- 1869 (1942) [There were] numerous low islands, and many sand bars, or "battures," as the voyageurs call them.
- 1909 . . . an island or sandbar in a river is a "batture."
- 1814 (1897) Our people went on a few miles and then camped to dry their packs on a batture (sand bar).
4 n. Cdn French See bottom ice 1958 quote.
See also: bottom ice
- 1866 (1873) . . . I noticed him skimming majestically over vast ice fields, battures, as they are called. . . .
- 1941 There was still a broad selvedge of ice--what the Canadian French call a Batture--but in the middle the ice was cracking.
- 1866 (1873) . . . I noticed him skimming majestically over vast ice fields, battures, as they are called. . . .