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

He’ll bray, he’ll bate, he’ll prate, he’ll Berate, and he’ll inveigh, Then once we’ve been diverted, he’ll cause a new melee.

From Washington Post ● Dec. 13, 2018

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

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

So I sent an email and waited with bated breath to see if I had finally found the smoked salmon.

From Salon ● Feb. 28, 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

Liverpool fans - and the world of football in general - will be waiting to find out the next installment with bated breath.

From BBC ● Dec. 7, 2025

Outside the Dream Stage tryout room, Jaelyn Jones waits with bated breath.

From Los Angeles Times ● Aug. 4, 2025

And we looked with bated breath into the blank and expressionless features of the man of science, asking with our total beings: Do you bring us hope or disaster?

From "Invisible Man" by Ralph Ellison

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