WordWeb Online

1. Moderate or restrain; lessen the force of
   "He bated his breath when talking about this affair"; "capable of bating his enthusiasm"
    
2. Flap the wings wildly or frantically; used of falcons
    
3. (chemistry) soak in a special solution to soften and remove chemicals used in previous treatments
   "bate hides and skins"

Sounds like: bait

Derived forms: bated, bates, bating

Type of: beat, check, contain, control, curb, douse, dowse, drench, flap, hold, hold in, mod [informal], moderate, soak, sop, souse

Encyclopedia: Bate, Nova Gorica