1 (especially BrE) = TRUNCHEON:
a baton charge (= one made by police carrying batons, to force a crowd back)
2 a thin light stick used by the person (called a CONDUCTOR) who is in control of an orchestra, etc:
The orchestra played brilliantly under Previn's baton.
3 a small light stick that one member of a team in a RELAY race passes to the next person to run:
to pass / hand over the baton * (figurative) The President handed over the baton (= passed responsibility) to his successor.
4 a long stick that is held and thrown in the air by a person marching in front of a band, or by a MAJORETTE
