batten

fe’l verb

1. To thrive, prosper, or live in luxury, especially at the expense of others; fare sumptuously. Robber barons who battened on the poor
2. To become better; improve in condition, especially by feeding.
3. To feed (on); to revel (in).
4. To thrive by feeding; grow fat; feed oneself gluttonously.

ot noun

1. A thin strip of wood used in construction to hold members of a structure together or to provide a fixing point.
2. A long strip of wood, metal, fibreglass etc., used for various purposes aboard ship, especially one inserted in a pocket sewn on the sail in order to keep the sail flat.
3. In stagecraft, a long pipe, usually metal, affixed to the ceiling or fly system in a theater.
4. The movable bar of a loom, which strikes home or closes the threads of a woof.