bach

UK: /bæx/ US: 'bach': (bach); 'Bach': (bäкн)

WordReference Random House Unabridged Dictionary of American English © 2026

bach  (bach), [Informal.]
v. 

1. Idioms, Informal Terms bach it, to live alone or share living quarters with someone of the same sex, usually doing one's own housework, cooking, laundry, etc.

n. 

2. Informal Terms a bachelor.
3. Informal Terms, British Terms [New Zealand.] a small weekend or vacation house or shack.

• by shortening 1850–55, American.

Bach  (bäкн), n. 

Jo•hann Se•bas•ti•an  (yō′hän si bas′chən; Ger. yō′hän zā bäs′tē än′), 1685–1750, German organist and composer. his sons:Carl Philipp E•ma•nu•el  (kärl fil′ip i man′yo̅o̅ əl; Ger. kärl fē′lip ā mä′no̅o̅ el′), 1714–88;
Johann Chris•ti•an  (kris′chən; Ger. kris′tē än′), 1735–82;
Johann Chris•toph Frie•drich  (kris′tof frē′drik; Ger. kris′tôf frē′driкн), 1732–95;
and Wil•helm Frie•de•mann  (wil′helm frē′də män′; Ger. vil′helm frē′də män′), 1710–84, German organists and composers.

Collins Concise English Dictionary © HarperCollins Publishers::

bach / bætʃ/ verb

1. a variant spelling of batch1

noun

1. a simple cottage, esp at the seaside

WordReference Random House Learner's Dictionary of American English © 2026

batch¹ /bætʃ/   n. [countable]

1. a quantity taken together;
   lot:
   a batch of tickets.
2. a quantity made at one baking:
   a batch of cookies.
3. Computing a group of jobs, data, or commands treated as a unit for computer processing.

WordReference Random House Unabridged Dictionary of American English © 2026

batch¹  (bach), n. 

1. a quantity or number coming at one time or taken together:
   a batch of prisoners.
2. the quantity of material prepared or required for one operation:
   mixing a batch of concrete.
3. the quantity of bread, cookies, dough, or the like, made at one baking.
4. [Computers.]
   • Computing a group of jobs, data, or programs treated as a unit for computer processing.
   • Computing See batch processing. 
5. Ceramics [Glassmaking.]
   • a quantity of raw materials mixed in proper proportions and prepared for fusion into glass.
   • the material so mixed.

v.t. 

6. to combine, mix, or process in a batch.

• 1400–50; late Middle English bache, akin to bacan to bake; compare Old English gebæc, German Gebäck batch

Synonyms

• 1. group, lot, number, bunch, gang, set, pack, flock, troop.

batch²  (bach), v.i., n. 

1. Informal Terms bach.

• tch to clarify and normalize pronunciation, pronounced

Collins Concise English Dictionary © HarperCollins Publishers::

Bach / bax/ noun

1. Johann Christian ( joˈhan ˈkrɪstjan ), 11th son of J. S. Bach. 1735–82, German composer, called the English Bach, resident in London from 1762
2. Johann Christoph ( ˈkrɪstɔf ). 1642–1703, German composer: wrote oratorios, cantatas, and motets, some of which were falsely attributed to J. S. Bach, of whom he was a distant relative
3. Johann Sebastian ( joˈhan zeˈbastjan ). 1685–1750, German composer: church organist at Arnstadt (1703–07) and Mühlhausen (1707–08); court organist at Weimar (1708–17); musical director for Prince Leopold of Köthen (1717–28); musical director for the city of Leipzig (1728–50). His output was enormous and displays great vigour and invention within the northern European polyphonic tradition. His works include nearly 200 cantatas and oratorios, settings of the Passion according to St John (1723) and St Matthew (1729), the six Brandenburg Concertos (1720–21), the 48 preludes and fugues of the Well-tempered Clavier (completed 1744), and the Mass in B Minor (1733–38)
4. Karl (orCarl) Philipp Emanuel ( karl ˈfiːlɪp eˈmaːnuɛl ), 3rd son of J. S. Bach. 1714–88, German composer, chiefly of symphonies, keyboard sonatas, and church music
5. Wilhelm Friedemann ( ˈvɪlhɛlm ˈfriːdəman ), eldest son of J. S. Bach. 1710–84, German composer: wrote nine symphonies and much keyboard and religious music

Collins Concise English Dictionary © HarperCollins Publishers::

batch / bætʃ/ noun

1. a group or set of usually similar objects or people, esp if sent off, handled, or arriving at the same time
2. the bread, cakes, etc, produced at one baking
3. the amount of a material needed for an operation
4. a tall loaf having a close texture and a thick crust on the top and bottom, baked as part of a batch: the sides of each loaf are greased so that they will pull apart after baking to have pale crumby sides; made esp in Scotland and Ireland
   Compare pan loaf

verb (transitive)

1. to group (items) for efficient processing
2. to handle by batch processing

Etymology: 15th Century bache; related to Old English bacan to bake; compare Old English gebæc batch, German Gebäck

batch, bach / bætʃ/ verb

1. (intransitive) (of a man) to do his own cooking and housekeeping
2. to live alone