bate

1
[ beyt ]
See synonyms for: batebated on Thesaurus.com

verb (used with object),bat·ed, bat·ing.
  1. to moderate or restrain: unable to bate our enthusiasm.

  2. to lessen or diminish; abate: setbacks that bated his hopes.

verb (used without object),bat·ed, bat·ing.
  1. to diminish or subside; abate.

Idioms about bate

  1. with bated breath. bated (def. 3).

Origin of bate

1
First recorded in 1250–1300; Middle English, shortening of abate

Words Nearby bate

Other definitions for bate (2 of 3)

bate2
[ beyt ]

verb (used without object),bat·ed, bat·ing.
  1. (of a hawk) to flutter its wings and attempt to escape in a fit of anger or fear.

noun
  1. a state of violent anger or fear.

Origin of bate

2
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

Other definitions for bate (3 of 3)

bate3
[ beyt ]

verb (used with or without object),bat·ed, bat·ing.
  1. Tanning. to soak (leather) after liming in an alkaline solution to soften it and remove the lime.

noun
  1. the solution used.

Origin of bate

3
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

Dictionary.com Unabridged Based on the Random House Unabridged Dictionary, © Random House, Inc. 2024

How to use bate in a sentence

  • Jonathan bate argues in the TLS that Swinburne was a master metrician as well as a pioneer in changing sexual attitudes.

    Best of Brit Lit | Peter Stothard | July 9, 2009 | THE DAILY BEAST
  • The measure of oil also, a bate of oil is the tenth part of a core: and ten bates make a core: for ten bates fill a core.

  • He bate th' champeen iv the' wurruld last week be a scoore iv wan hundhred an' eighty-two to siventy-six.

    Mr. Dooley Says | Finley Dunne
  • De kote had to bate de trap wid one warmint ter catch anudder one.

    The Broken Sword | Dennison Worthington
  • Pend upon it boss, Miss Alice is ergwine to bite at the hook fore yu flings out de bate.

    The Broken Sword | Dennison Worthington
  • I nevertheless still loved Truth, and would bate no jot of my allegiance to her.

    Sartor Resartus | Thomas Carlyle

British Dictionary definitions for bate (1 of 4)

bate1

/ (beɪt) /


verb
  1. another word for abate

  2. with bated breath holding one's breath in suspense or fear

British Dictionary definitions for bate (2 of 4)

bate2

/ (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

Origin of bate

2
C13: from Old French batre to beat, from Latin battuere; related to bat 1

British Dictionary definitions for bate (3 of 4)

bate3

/ (beɪt) /


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

noun
  1. the solution used

Origin of bate

3
Old English bǣtan to bait 1

British Dictionary definitions for bate (4 of 4)

bate4

/ (beɪt) /


noun
  1. British slang a bad temper or rage

Origin of bate

4
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