battery (law)

In several legal systems, the intentional touching of another person without that person's consent. It involves physical contact beyond that customary in everyday life, but not necessarily physical damage or force. Also, the person need not be aware that a battery is to take place (as in the case of a blow from behind) or has taken place (they might suffer a battery while unconscious). Consent may sometimes be implied, as in the context of lawful and properly organized sporting activity such as a boxing match or rugby football, or reasonable surgery. However, a doctor who gave blood transfusions to a Jehovah's Witness, knowing that he carried a card stating no blood was to be given to him, was found guilty of battery in 1991.

Battery (crime), physical contact which causes bodily harm Battery (tort), touching another person without lawful justification

Organized groups

Artillery battery, a group of artillery pieces acting in concert Battery farming, a farming practice where hens are kept individually in small adjoining battery cages to lay eggs Drumline or battery in a marching band

Placenames

Battery Park (New York), a former artillery fortification on Manhattan Island, United States Battery Park City, the area around Battery Park in Manhattan, United States Battery Park (Burlington, VT) in Vermont, United States Battery Park (Charleston), in South Carolina, United States Battery Point, Tasmania, a suburb of Hobart, Australia Battery Road, Singapore, major road in Raffles Place, Singapore

Music

Battery (song), a 1986 song by Metallica Battery (band), an American hardcore band Battery 9, a South African musical project

Others

Battery (drink), a brand of beverage "The battery", baseball jargon for a team's pitcher and catcher, considered as a unit "A battery of tests", an organized array of tests

Etymology

"Battery" is derived from French batterie, from the verb French battre, Late Latin battuere = "to beat", of Germanic origin, compare Anglo-Saxon bēatan.

The meaning "power storage" came from misunderstanding the reference in "battery of electrolytic cells" shortened in common usage to "battery".