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bate

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To bate is defined as to lower, hold back or restrain.

(verb)

To try not to smile when someone tells a funny joke is to bate the desire to laugh.

See bate in Webster's New World College Dictionary

transitive verb bated, bating

to abate, lessen, lower, etc.
Archaic to deprive (of)

Origin: ME baten, aphetic for abaten, abate

transitive verb, intransitive verb bated, bating

Tanning to soften by soaking in an enzyme solution after the hair has been removed

Origin: prob. var. of bait; akin to Ger beiszen, to soak in lye

noun

an enzyme solution for this purpose

See bate in American Heritage Dictionary 4

transitive verb bat·ed, bat·ing, bates

To lessen the force or intensity of; moderate: “To his dying day he bated his breath a little when he told the story” (George Eliot). See Usage Note at bait¹.
To take away; subtract.

Origin:

Origin: Middle English baten

Origin: , short for abaten; see abate

also bait

intransitive verb bat·ed also bait·ed, bat·ing also bait·ing, bates also baits

To flap the wings wildly or frantically. Used of a falcon.

Origin:

Origin: Middle English baten

Origin: , from Old French batre, to beat; see batter¹

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