[beyt] 
verb, 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. |
| 3. | to diminish or subside; abate. |
| 4. | 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. |
[beyt] verb, bat⋅ed, bat⋅ing, noun | 1. | (of a hawk) to flutter its wings and attempt to escape in a fit of anger or fear. |
| 2. | a state of violent anger or fear. |
[beyt] verb, bat⋅ed, bat⋅ing, noun | 1. | Tanning. to soak (leather) after liming in an alkaline solution to soften it and remove the lime. |
| 2. | the solution used. |
| bate 1 (bāt) tr.v. bat·ed, bat·ing, bates
[Middle English baten, short for abaten; see abate.] |
| bate 2 also bait (bāt) intr.v. bat·ed also bait·ed, bat·ing also bait·ing, bates also baits To flap the wings wildly or frantically. Used of a falcon. [Middle English baten, from Old French batre, to beat; see batter1.] |