bate

¹ American  

[beyt] / beɪt /

verb (used with object)

bated, bating

1. to moderate or restrain.

   unable to bate our enthusiasm.

2. to lessen or diminish; abate.

   setbacks that bated his hopes.

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verb (used without object)

bated, bating

1. to diminish or subside; abate.

idioms

1. with bated breath. bated.

bate ² American  

[beyt] / beɪt /

verb (used without object)

bated, bating

1. (of a hawk) to flutter its wings and attempt to escape in a fit of anger or fear.

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noun

1. a state of violent anger or fear.

bate ³ American  

[beyt] / beɪt /

verb (used with or without object)

bated, bating

1. Tanning. to soak (leather) after liming in an alkaline solution to soften it and remove the lime.

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noun

1. the solution used.

bate ¹ British  

/ beɪt /

verb

1. another word for abate

2. holding one's breath in suspense or fear

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bate ² British  

/ beɪt /

verb

1. to soak (skin or hides) in a special solution to soften them and remove chemicals used in previous treatments

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noun

1. the solution used

bate ³ British  

/ beɪt /

verb

1. (intr) (of hawks) to jump violently from a perch or the falconer's fist, often hanging from the leash while struggling to escape

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bate ⁴ British  

/ beɪt /

noun

1. slang a bad temper or rage

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Etymology

Origin of bate¹

First recorded in 1250–1300; Middle English, shortening of abate

Origin of bate²

First recorded in 1200–50; Middle English bat(t)en “to beat, stamp, flap (wings, etc.), peck, strike,” from Middle French (se) bat(t)re, ultimately from Latin battuere, battere, batuere “to beat, pound”; cf. abate

Origin of bate³

First recorded in 1870–75; variant of beat “to pare off turf”; probably from Swedish beta “to tan”; cognate with German beizen “to tan, pickle;” see also bait ( def. )

Explanation

To bate means to hold back or restrain, and you may see it in language that's either old or meant to sound old. A relative of bate appears in the phrase "with bated breath," which describes what you do when you anxiously wait. If you're awaiting the results of your hot-dog eating contest "with bated breath," you're so anxious and excited that you're holding your breath (and maybe you had too many hot dogs). Bate also turns up in the obscure vocabulary of falconry, a sport that involves training birds of prey to hunt. When a falcon is sitting on its perch and excitedly beats its wings as if to fly away, the bird is said to bate.

Example Sentences

See Examples For:

bate bated bating

Please roll your drums, bate your breaths and hook your tenters—these are the 2017-’18 PGA Tour “Mid-Season” Awards.

From Golf Digest ● Jul. 5, 2018

Which is why, for this, I would not bate my breath.

From Washington Post ● Jul. 21, 2015

As “Mr Dooley,” the comic, fictional creation of Finley Peter Dunne, wryly observed: “There’s wan thing about th’ Irish iv this town…they give picnics that does bate all.

From Time ● Mar. 17, 2015

He didn't "lose it", not in the sense of "coming over all unnecessary" or throwing some terrible bate.

From The Guardian ● May 26, 2012

If a falcon is hooded she will not bate, that is, she won’t fly off your fist and hang head down by her jesses, beating her wings and hurting herself.

From "On the Far Side of the Mountain" by Jean Craighead George

My 8-year-old Lego-maniac son waited with bated breath for two new Lego Smart Play Star Wars sets—Luke’s X-wing and Darth Vader’s TIE fighter—to come in the mail.

From The Wall Street Journal ● Jul. 18, 2026

Until then, I’ll just have to wait with bated breath.

From Salon ● May 23, 2026

In addition to breaking barriers of representation, Bridgerton is known for its gripping storylines - and fans will be waiting with bated breath to find out what becomes of Francesca Bridgerton and Michaela Stirling's romance.

From BBC ● Feb. 26, 2026

He snatched provisional top spot in beautiful, sunny conditions, but could only watch with bated breath as his understudy took to the start hut.

From Barron's ● Feb. 7, 2026

With bated breath, I tried to gasp out what I had seen, but only managed to utter unintelligible, guttural sounds.

From "Kaffir Boy: An Autobiography" by Mark Mathabane

There was a noticeable bating of breath as she acknowledged that she and Trump had their differences.

From BBC ● Jul. 16, 2024

Martin hit .377 with three homers and 11 RBIs in 16 games this year, leaving him with a career bating line of .368/.474/.532 with 14 homers and 76 RBIs in 140 games for the Commodores.

From Reuters ● Jun. 11, 2020

A hawk cannot escape by bating, because its owner holds its jesses—slim leather straps attached to bands the bird wears on its ankles.

From The New Yorker ● Mar. 2, 2015

He said he would have no problem completing his rehabilitation by throwing live bating practice and simulated games, a plan Yankees Manager Joe Girardi agreed with.

From New York Times ● Aug. 22, 2012

She hung upside down, bating with her wings.

From "The Once and Future King" by T. H. White