What does bate mean?
Bate is a verb meaning to lessen in intensity or to restrain, most familiar to modern readers through the fixed phrase 'with bated breath', which describes waiting in eager or anxious suspense. In this expression, one's breath is figuratively held back or diminished by anticipation. The word is essentially an aphetic — shortened — form of 'abate', dropping the initial syllable, and it carries a distinctly literary register: apart from its famous collocation, bate has largely fallen out of everyday use and may sound archaic if used independently. It is also one of English's classic confusables, routinely misspelled as 'baited' because 'bait' sounds identical yet means something entirely different — a lure for catching animals. Knowing bate correctly marks the difference between polished usage and a very public typo. For writers seeking a touch of dramatic tension, 'bated breath' remains an elegant, time-tested idiom.
verbTo lessen in force or intensity; to restrain or hold back (especially of breath or emotion). Now used almost exclusively in the phrase 'bated breath', meaning eagerly or anxiously waiting.
- (usually passive) To be lessened or reduced in force or intensity.
- (transitive) To restrain or moderate, especially breath or emotion.
"The audience waited with bated breath for the winner to be announced."
"Fans around the world waited with bated breath for the final whistle."
"He could scarcely contain himself, his excitement barely bated as the results came in."
Shakespeare's audiences were already saying 'with bated breath' over four centuries ago — and thanks to one famous line in The Merchant of Venice, we've barely stopped since.
Reviewed by Deb Chak, Editor. AI-assisted content curated by RJS Tech Solutions LLP.
Etymology of bate
Bate arose in Middle English as a shortened form of 'abate', which entered English from Old French 'abattre', meaning 'to beat down'. That French verb traces back through Vulgar Latin to the classical Latin root 'battuere' ('to beat'), making bate a relative of words like combat, battle, and debate. Its survival into modern English owes much to Shakespeare's 'with bated breath' in The Merchant of Venice, which preserved the idiom long after the standalone verb faded from ordinary speech.
Related word forms
How bate is actually used
Largely literary or formal today; outside 'bated breath' the verb is rare and may strike readers as archaic. Note that it is frequently misspelled as 'baited' — a common error even in published writing.
Easily confused with bate
'Bait' means food or lure used to trap fish or animals, while 'bate' means to lessen or restrain — the two are often swapped by mistake in the phrase 'with baited breath'.