batten down the hatches
イギリス気象庁は108mphの暴風雨がウェールズに直撃すると非常警報を発令しました。記事はThe Independentからです。
イディオムのbatten down the hatchesには「[海事]昇降口を密閉する」（『ジーニアス英和辞典 第3版』大修館）という定義もございますがここでは第二語義の「危険に備える」（ibid）に相当します。換言するならば「万一に備えて」となりますでしょうか。念のためOxford Dictionaries Onlineも当たってみますと’ prepare for a difficulty or crisis’と掲載されていました。（Shou-VR*）
UK weather red alert: Met Office says 'stay indoors' and issues severest storm warning as 108mph winds hit Wales
Warning comes as David Cameron admits it will be a 'depressingly long period of time' before the country can get back to normal
People living on Britain's west coast have been advised to take action and stay indoors after the Met Office issued a red alert for 108mph winds battering Wales.
Forecasters said a storm front was on its way that would bring heavy rain, powerful winds, blizzards and snow across the UK today, but the red severe weather warning - the highest level possible - is a rare occurrence.
It means that there is a high likelihood of power outages, fallen trees and significant damage to property across north Wales and north-west England.
Today has seen:
• Wind gusts of 108mph recorded on land in Aberdaron, north-west Wales
• Clifton Suspension Bridge in Bristol 'closed due to wind for first time in its 150-year history'
• People in north-west England advised to ‘batten down the hatches’ and stay indoors
