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definitions

bate

1
[beyt]
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verb (used with object), bat·ed, bat·ing.

to moderate or restrain: unable to bate our enthusiasm.
to lessen or diminish; abate: setbacks that bated his hopes.

verb (used without object), bat·ed, bat·ing.

to diminish or subside; abate.

RELATED WORDS

lapse, ebb, slacken, wane, ease, lessen, restrain, abate, curb, moderate, check

Nearby words

  1. batavian,
  2. batboy,
  3. batch,
  4. batch plant,
  5. batch processing,
  6. bateau,
  7. bateau neck,
  8. bated,
  9. bated breath,
  10. bateleur

Idioms

    with bated breath, with breath drawn in or held because of anticipation or suspense: We watched with bated breath as the runners approached the finish line.

Origin of bate

1
1250–1300; Middle English, aphetic variant of abate
Can be confusedbaited bated

bate

2
[beyt]

verb (used without object), bat·ed, bat·ing.

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

noun

a state of violent anger or fear.

Origin of bate

2
1250–1300; Middle English baten to beat, flap (wings, etc.) < Middle French (se) batre ≪ Latin battuere to beat; cf. abate

bate

3
[beyt]

verb (used with or without object), bat·ed, bat·ing.

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

noun

the solution used.

Origin of bate

3
1870–75; variant of beat to pare off turf, Old English bǣtan to bait; cognate with Swedish beta to tan, German beissen to macerate
Dictionary.com Unabridged Based on the Random House Unabridged Dictionary, © Random House, Inc. 2019

Examples from the Web for bated

British Dictionary definitions for bated

bate

1

verb

another word for abate
with bated breath holding one's breath in suspense or fear

bate

2

verb

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

Word Origin for bate

C13: from Old French batre to beat, from Latin battuere; related to bat 1

bate

3

verb (tr)

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

noun

the solution used

Word Origin for bate

Old English bǣtan to bait 1

bate

4

noun

British slang a bad temper or rage

Word Origin for bate

C19: from bait 1, alluding to the mood of a person who is being baited
Collins English Dictionary - Complete & Unabridged 2012 Digital Edition © William Collins Sons & Co. Ltd. 1979, 1986 © HarperCollins Publishers 1998, 2000, 2003, 2005, 2006, 2007, 2009, 2012
Word Origin and History for bated
Online Etymology Dictionary, © 2010 Douglas Harper