"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).
bate (v.2)
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.
雙語例句
1. Mr Harris and Mrs Bate and three other teachers were there.
哈里斯老師、貝特老師和其他三位老師在場(chǎng)。
來自《權(quán)威詞典》
2. The cruel landlord would bate him no rent.
那個(gè)狠心的地主不肯給他減租.
來自《現(xiàn)代英漢綜合大詞典》
3. Even great scholars like Wang Xianqian and Liang Qichao could not stop the de bate.