baton UK /ˈbætɒn/US /bəˈtɑn/noun 10verb 1forms 6 noun10 •A staff or truncheon, used for various purposes. •A ceremonial staff of a field marshal or a similar high-ranking military office. •The stick of a conductor in musical performances.The conductor raised his baton and the orchestra fell silent. •An object transferred by runners in a relay race.In the relay race, the runner dropped the baton. •A rod twirled in a marching band's performance, in a gymnastic sport, or in juggling. •A short stout club used primarily by policemen.The police officer carried a baton for self-defense. •A batonnet, a long slice of a vegetable, thicker than a julienne. •A short baguette. •A bend with the ends cut off, resembling a baton, typically borne sinister, and often used as a mark of cadency, initially for both legitimate and illegitimate children, but later chiefly for illegitimate children. •A short vertical lightweight post, not set into the ground, used to separate wires in a fence. verb1 •To strike with a baton.She passed the baton to her successor after retiring. formsbatoned · batonned · batoning · batonning · batons · bâtons