hatching

Concise Oxford English Dictionary © 2008 Oxford University Press:
hatch1

▶noun

• 1 a small opening in a floor, wall, or roof allowing access from one area to another, in particular that in the deck of a boat leading to the cabin or lower level.

  ■ a door in an aircraft, spacecraft, or submarine.

• 2 short for hatchback.

– phrases
down the hatch informal used as a toast.

– origin OE hæcc (denoting the lower half of a divided door), of Gmc origin.

Concise Oxford English Dictionary © 2008 Oxford University Press:
hatch2

▶verb

• 1 (of a young bird, fish, or reptile) emerge from its egg.

  ■ (of an egg) open and produce a young animal.

  ■ cause (a young animal) to emerge from its egg.

• 2 conspire to devise (a plot or plan).

▶noun a newly hatched brood.

– origin ME hacche, rel. to Swed. häcka and Dan. hække.

Concise Oxford English Dictionary © 2008 Oxford University Press:
hatch3

▶verb (in technical drawing) shade with closely drawn parallel lines.

– derivatives
hatching noun.

– origin C15 (in the sense ‘inlay with strips of metal’): from OFr. hacher, from hache (see hatchet).