Bat″on (băt″ŭn, F. bä′tôN″; 277), n. [F. bâton. See Baston.] 1. A staff or truncheon, used for various purposes; as, the baton of a field marshal; the baton of a conductor in musical performances.
He held the baton of command.
Prescott.
2. (Her.) An ordinary with its ends cut off, borne sinister as a mark of bastardy, and containing one fourth in breadth of the bend sinister; — called also bastard bar. See Bend sinister.