“Close the hatches” means to prepare for impending troubles by securing shelter, property, or finances. The phrase originated from ships closing hatches to withstand rough weather and prevent water from entering. The idiom was introduced in the 19th century and is commonly used figuratively now, especially in weather warnings.
By “closing the hatches” is meant making preparations to weather the coming troubles. The idiom means that everything needed to survive a disaster, whether it’s shelter, property or a bank account, has been made as safe as possible. When someone is told to close the hatches, they are being told to take the necessary precautions for an impending problem, figuratively speaking, or a coming storm, literally.
The phrase barred hatches entered the language from the high seas. When a storm was approaching or a ship was about to enter rough water, the hatches were closed to help the ship withstand the rough weather and not take on water. Hatches cover the openings on the decks of ships and when they were battened down they were closed, nailed and caulked to prevent water from entering the ship during a storm or while passing through rough seas. The lath was a strip of wood nailed across the hatch.
The hatches were also the covers for the holes leading to the living quarters of those aboard the ship. This meant that cutting down the hatches would protect areas where people on the ship would take shelter during the storm. A lookout high above the deck in a crow’s nest would be the first to notice the approaching storm or rough waters. This person would probably have warned the rest of the crew of the incoming problem with the command “Close the hatches”.
The idiom appears to have been introduced into use in everyday speech in the 19th century, although it may have been used much earlier by those who made their living on the high seas. The first written reference to the practice of nailing and caulking hatches is found in a 19th century work by John Badcock. Called Domestic Amusements, Badcock’s work doesn’t use actual idiom, but depicts the process of preparing for the storm. The true saying does not appear in written records until 1823 years later.
The phrase is commonly in use now, albeit in a figurative sense. It is likely that many who use it, and even many who understand what it means figuratively, do not know the literal meaning of the word. Forecasters often use the phrase when warning viewers or listeners of approaching severe weather, especially hurricanes. Those in an area that could be affected by storms are often told to close the hatches before the weather arrives.
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