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katherine lee, 1859–1929, u.s. educator and author.
to moderate or restrain:
unable to bate our enthusiasm.
to lessen or diminish; abate:
setbacks that bated his hopes.
to diminish or subside; abate.
with bated breath, with breath drawn in or held because of antic-p-tion or suspense:
we watched with bated breath as the runners approached the finish line.
(of a hawk) to flutter its wings and attempt to escape in a fit of anger or fear.
a state of violent anger or fear.
tanning. to soak (leather) after liming in an alkaline solution to soften it and remove the lime.
the solution used.
contemporary examples

because, honestly, nothing would be worse than another season of bates—for you, for us, for the future of downton abbey.
just kill mr. bates already! how to save ‘downton abbey’ andrew romano february 19, 2014

on bates motel, vera farmiga masterfully transforms a would-be harridan into a new kind of protagonist: the sensual hysteric.
‘bates motel’: ken tucker praises vera farmiga’s knife-sharp performance ken tucker may 5, 2013

after bates died, his successor at the rgs reflected, “i think his modesty was carried to a fault.”
exploring the amazon, while we still can darrell hartman may 14, 2014

dr. bates says the ads are effective because they let north dakota voters forge a personal relationship with mrs. berg.
paul ryan trots out his mom to defend medicare record patricia murphy august 17, 2012

all in all, bates strikes me as a good upstanding englishman—the epitome of stiff-upper-lip resolve and restraint.
just kill mr. bates already! how to save ‘downton abbey’ andrew romano february 19, 2014

historical examples

“it shall be done, sir,” replied mr. bates, who then rose and took his leave.
the settlers in canada frederick marryat

mr bates relates that a friend of his possessed one of these little creatures.
the western world w.h.g. kingston

after anxious and arduous discussion, mr bates was once more consulted.
memoirs of a midget walter de la mare

“i don’t know them; it is so dark i can’t make them out,” replied bates.
in school and out oliver optic

into the bushes also plunged bates’ pup, and there ensued the sound of sundry baffled yelps.
the boarded-up house augusta huiell seaman

noun
sir alan (arthur). 1934–2003, british film and stage actor. his films include a kind of loving (1962), women in love (1969), the go-between (1971), and the cherry orchard (1999)
h(erbert) e(rnest). 1905–74, english writer of short stories and novels, which include the darling buds of may (1958), a moment in time (1964), and the triple echo (1970)
verb
another word for abate
with bated breath, holding one’s breath in suspense or fear
verb
(intransitive) (of hawks) to jump violently from a perch or the falconer’s fist, often hanging from the leash while struggling to escape
verb (transitive)
to soak (skin or hides) in a special solution to soften them and remove chemicals used in previous treatments
noun
the solution used
noun
(brit, slang) a bad temper or rage
v.

“to reduce, to lessen in intensity,” c.1300, shortening of abate (q.v.). now only in phrase bated breath, which was used by shakespeare in “the merchant of venice” (1596).

c.1300, “to contend with blows or arguments,” from old french batre “to hit, beat, strike,” from late latin battere, from latin batuere “to beat, knock” (see batter (v.)). in falconry, “to beat the wings impatiently and flutter away from the perch.” figurative sense of “to flutter downward” attested from 1580s.