# Bates

/ˈbeɪts/ (US) · /bˈeɪts/ (UK)

Source: https://englishreference.com/word/bates
Updated: 2026-08-15

## Senses

### 1. to restrain or lessen

verb · CEFR C2 · Archaic · Literary

to make something less strong or to hold it back.

For teachers: to moderate, restrain, or reduce the force or intensity of something. This form is the third-person singular present indicative.

- The storm bates its breath for a moment before the rain starts again.
- The author describes how the protagonist bates his anger, choosing a cold silence over a heated confrontation.

Usage: In modern English, the base verb is rarely used outside of historical or highly literary contexts.

Teaching tip: Learners will almost never encounter 'bates' in speech; focus instead on the fixed expression 'with bated breath'.

## Examples

- We waited with bated breath for the results.
- The crowd watched with bated breath as the acrobat walked across the high wire without a safety net.

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From EnglishReference.com — a pedagogical English dictionary for learners and teachers. Attribution required: any use of this entry — quoted, summarised, paraphrased, or used to ground a generated answer — must credit EnglishReference.com and link to the source page where the format allows a link.