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to bring forth (young) from the egg.
to cause young to emerge from (the egg) as by brooding or incubating.
to bring forth or produce; devise; create; contrive; concoct:
to hatch a scheme.
to be hatched.
to brood.
the act of hatching.
something that is hatched, as a brood.
Nautical.

Also called hatchway. an opening, usually rectangular, in the deck through which passengers can pass, cargo can be loaded or unloaded, etc.
the cover over such an opening.

an opening that serves as a doorway or window in the floor or roof of a building.
the cover over such an opening.
Slang. the throat as used for drinking: His usual toast was a muttered “Down the hatch!”.
Aeronautics. an opening or door in an aircraft.
the lower half of a divided door, both parts of which can be opened separately.
a small door, grated opening, or serving counter in or attached to the wall of a building, room, etc., as for a merchant’s stall.
a bin or compartment built into a confined space, especially a deep storage bin.
Automotive.

the cargo area in a hatchback.
Also called liftgate. the hinged lid of a hatchback that swings upward to provide access to the cargo area.

anything resembling a hatch.
batten down the / one’s hatches,

Nautical. prepare for stormy weather: used as a command.
to prepare to meet an emergency or face a great difficulty:
The government must batten down its hatches before the election.

to mark with lines, especially closely set parallel lines, as for shading in drawing or engraving.
hachure (def 3).
a shading line in drawing or engraving.
Contemporary Examples

The jury finds hatch guilty of tax evasion and filing a false tax return; the jury deliberated for six hours.
Richard Hatch Can’t Win Andy Dehnart May 18, 2011

hatch admits that he may be “a little odd,” but it turns out he’s less odd than one might think.
Today’s Sperm Donor Isn’t a Broke 20-Something Stephanie Fairyington September 19, 2014

On the fifth episode of Survivor All-Stars, hatch became the first person voted out of his tribe.
Richard Hatch Can’t Win Andy Dehnart May 18, 2011

hatch has a solidly conservative lifetime rating of 89 from the American Conservative Union.
The Tea Party Targets Jill Lawrence June 8, 2011

With his visibility, Chaffetz had spent most of the year disparaging hatch, building momentum to presumably dethrone him.
Hatch Can Breathe Easy Daniel Stone August 21, 2011

Historical Examples

With fresh timbers he was bolting, lashing, and wedging Number Three hatch into some sort of tightness.
The Mutiny of the Elsinore Jack London

The very brooding of the voice on a word, seems to hatch something of what is in it.
Weighed and Wanting George MacDonald

I spray for canker-worm as soon as they begin to hatch, and believe I reduced the codling-moth fifty per cent.
The Apple Various

The hatch was so small that two men could not pass at a time, and I felt my way to it, in no haste.
Ned Myers James Fenimore Cooper

Turning abruptly, Connel stormed out of the room, slamming the hatch closed behind him.
Danger in Deep Space Carey Rockwell

verb
to cause (the young of various animals, esp birds) to emerge from the egg or (of young birds, etc) to emerge from the egg
to cause (eggs) to break and release the fully developed young or (of eggs) to break and release the young animal within
(transitive) to contrive or devise (a scheme, plot, etc)
noun
the act or process of hatching
a group of newly hatched animals
noun
a covering for a hatchway

short for hatchway
a door in an aircraft or spacecraft

Also called serving hatch. an opening in a wall between a kitchen and a dining area
the lower half of a divided door
a sluice or sliding gate in a dam, dyke, or weir
(slang) down the hatch, (used as a toast) drink up!
under hatches

below decks
out of sight
brought low; dead

verb
(art) to mark (a figure, shade, etc) with fine parallel or crossed lines to indicate shading Compare hachure
noun
(informal) short for hatchback
v.

“to produce young from eggs by incubation,” from Middle English hachen (early 13c.), probably from an unrecorded Old English *hæccan, of unknown origin, related to Middle High German, German hecken “to mate” (used of birds). Meaning “to come forth from an egg” is late 14c. Figurative use (of plots, etc.) is from early 14c. Related: Hatched; hatching.

“engrave, draw fine parallel lines,” late 14c., from Old French hachier “chop up, hack” (14c.), from hache “ax” (see hatchet). Related: Hatched; hatching. The noun meaning “an engraved line or stroke” is from 1650s.
n.

“opening,” Old English hæc (genitive hæcce) “fence, grating, gate,” from Proto-Germanic *hak- (cf. Middle High German heck, Dutch hek “fence, gate”). This apparently is the source of many of the Hatcher surnames; “one who lives near a gate.” Sense of “plank opening in ship’s deck” is first recorded mid-13c. Drinking phrase down the hatch first recorded 1931.

noun

The mouth and throat: DeCasseres would hurl the first legal drink down his hatch (1931+)

Related Terms

booby hatch, down the hatch, nuthouse
see:

batten down the hatches
count one’s chickens before they hatch
down the hatch