Definition of bate
bated;
bating
1
: to reduce the force or intensity of : restrain
- waited with bated breath
2
: to take away : deduct
- That grave and orderly senior was not going to bate a jot of his dignity …
- —George Eliot
3
archaic
: to lower especially in amount or estimation
- And I shall have to bate my price …
- —A. E. Housman
