ETYM Old Eng. bache, bacche, from AS. bacan to bake; cf. German gebäck and Dutch baksel. Related to Bake.
(Irregular plural: batches).
1. A collection of things or persons to be handled together; SYN. clutch.
2. All the loaves of bread baked at the same time.
3. (Often followed by 'of') A large number or amount or extent; SYN. good deal, great deal, hatful, heap, lot, mass, mess, pile, plenty, pot, tidy sum, whole lot, whole slew.