1. A flat wooden paddle or racket used to hit a shuttlecock in the game of badminton or a similar sport.
Usage: Often used in the phrase 'battledore and shuttlecock'; Somewhat archaic; 'racket' is the more common modern term
2. A children's game played with a battledore and shuttlecock, in which players hit the shuttlecock back and forth.
Usage: archaic; historical

Examples

• The child picked up the wooden battledore to play with the shuttlecock.
• In the 18th century, battledore and shuttlecock was a popular pastime for children.
• She gripped the battledore firmly before serving the shuttlecock across the net.
• The museum displayed an antique battledore made of ash wood.
• Players used a battledore similar to a modern badminton racket, though heavier and less refined.
• The game of battledore required skill and hand-eye coordination.