# baited breath **URL:** \ **Category:** Factual Questions\ **Created:** [February 10, 2012, 2:40pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/baited-breath/612409 "2012-02-10T14:40:29Z")\ **Posts on this page:** 20\ **Page:** 1
**Author:** ![Mark\_Phuket](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/m/e5b9ba/32.png) [@Mark\_Phuket](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Mark_Phuket)\ **Post date:** [February 10, 2012, 2:40pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/baited-breath/612409/1 "2012-02-10T14:40:29Z")
Hi all. Where does the expression, ‘I await with baited breath’ come from? Sounds gross. Thank you, Mark. ---
**Author:** ![johnspartan](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/j/a183cd/32.png) [@johnspartan](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/johnspartan)\ **Post date:** [February 10, 2012, 2:43pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/baited-breath/612409/2 "2012-02-10T14:43:51Z")
Not baited, bated breath. Bated is a (pretty much) lost word, but we still use “unabated”… so if your breath continues unabated, that’s normal… abated breath is breathing that’s arrested or hindered for some reason. It’s an elegant way of saying holding your breath. JFGI 😉 ---
**Author:** ![Ximenean](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/x/aca169/32.png) [@Ximenean](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Ximenean)\ **Post date:** [February 10, 2012, 3:02pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/baited-breath/612409/3 "2012-02-10T15:02:02Z")
What’s more, we still use “abate”: \*I would go for a walk, but I’m waiting until the rain has abated \* Possibly sounds a bit old-fashioned, I suppose, but it’s not obsolete. ---
**Author:** ![dracoi](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/d/90db22/32.png) [@dracoi](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/dracoi)\ **Post date:** [February 10, 2012, 5:56pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/baited-breath/612409/4 "2012-02-10T17:56:47Z")
> [@Ximenean](#): > > What’s more, we still use “abate”: > > \*I would go for a walk, but I’m waiting until the rain has abated > \* > Possibly sounds a bit old-fashioned, I suppose, but it’s not obsolete. Abate, and the related terms (like abatement) are still very common in legal terminology. ---
**Author:** ![cdsilv](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/c/a9adbd/32.png) [@cdsilv](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/cdsilv)\ **Post date:** [February 10, 2012, 6:04pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/baited-breath/612409/5 "2012-02-10T18:04:09Z")
baited breath - been eating sushi ---
**Author:** ![suranyi](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/s/e36b37/32.png) [@suranyi](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/suranyi)\ **Post date:** [February 10, 2012, 6:09pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/baited-breath/612409/6 "2012-02-10T18:09:56Z")
Yes, “bate” is a verb, now rare except in certain idioms, which means “to moderate or restrain; or to lesson or diminish”. ---
**Author:** ![brewha](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/b/91b2a8/32.png) [@brewha](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/brewha)\ **Post date:** [February 10, 2012, 6:17pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/baited-breath/612409/7 "2012-02-10T18:17:43Z")
Seriously? Google is much easier than joining a message board and starting a thread. [Baited Breath](http://bit.ly/Aac76v) It works even if you spell it wrong. ---
**Author:** ![Machine\_Elf](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/m/82dd89/32.png) [@Machine\_Elf](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Machine_Elf)\ **Post date:** [February 10, 2012, 6:24pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/baited-breath/612409/8 "2012-02-10T18:24:28Z")
> [@Mark\_Phuket](#): > > Hi all. Where does the expression, ‘I await with baited breath’ come from? Sounds gross. Thank you, Mark. It comes from people who don’t understand the meaning of the original expression “with _bated_ breath.” It’s an [eggcorn.](http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Eggcorn) ---
**Author:** ![Ludovic](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/l/7ab992/32.png) [@Ludovic](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Ludovic)\ **Post date:** [February 10, 2012, 6:27pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/baited-breath/612409/9 "2012-02-10T18:27:44Z")
I could hold my breath for longer than anyone else in school when I was growing up. That’s right, I was a master abater. ---
**Author:** ![Inigo\_Montoya](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/inigo_montoya/32/124_2.png) [@Inigo\_Montoya](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Inigo_Montoya)\ **Post date:** [February 10, 2012, 6:36pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/baited-breath/612409/10 "2012-02-10T18:36:26Z")
> [@suranyi](#): > > Yes, “bate” is a verb, now rare except in certain idioms, which means “to moderate or restrain; or to lesson or diminish”. I’m wondering if debate, rebate, probate and masturbate all share a common etymology. ---
**Author:** ![MrDibble](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/mrdibble/32/114_2.png) [@MrDibble](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/MrDibble)\ **Post date:** [February 10, 2012, 6:52pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/baited-breath/612409/11 "2012-02-10T18:52:05Z")
My bold > [@suranyi](#): > > Yes, “bate” is a verb, now rare except in certain idioms, which means “to moderate or restrain; or to **lesson** or diminish”. Consider us taught 🙂 ---
**Author:** ![Telemark](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/telemark/32/372_2.png) [@Telemark](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Telemark)\ **Post date:** [February 10, 2012, 7:09pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/baited-breath/612409/12 "2012-02-10T19:09:23Z")
I always bait my breath when fishing for compliments. ---
**Author:** ![Machine\_Elf](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/m/82dd89/32.png) [@Machine\_Elf](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Machine_Elf)\ **Post date:** [February 10, 2012, 7:43pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/baited-breath/612409/13 "2012-02-10T19:43:41Z")
> [@Inigo\_Montoya](#): > > I’m wondering if debate, rebate, probate and masturbate all share a common etymology. Check your local dictionary. ["Debate’](http://dictionary.reference.com/browse/debate) does indeed share a common origin with “abate,” re: to beat/defeat. [“Rebate”](http://dictionary.reference.com/browse/rebate) shares that same origin. [“Probate”](http://dictionary.reference.com/browse/probate) shares its origins with “probe,” re: testing. [“Masturbate”](http://dictionary.reference.com/browse/masturbate) is altogether different. This dictionary claims “defilement of the hand” (“manus” + “stuprare”), but with some uncertainty. ---
**Author:** ![Chefguy](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/chefguy/32/138_2.png) [@Chefguy](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Chefguy)\ **Post date:** [February 10, 2012, 8:28pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/baited-breath/612409/14 "2012-02-10T20:28:49Z")
> [@Telemark](#): > > I always bait my breath when fishing for compliments. You worm! ---
**Author:** ![cochrane](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/cochrane/32/10441_2.png) [@cochrane](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/cochrane)\ **Post date:** [February 10, 2012, 8:35pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/baited-breath/612409/15 "2012-02-10T20:35:13Z")
> [@Mark\_Phuket](#): > > Hi all. Where does the expression, ‘I await with baited breath’ come from? Sounds gross. Thank you, Mark. It’s what a cat has when he has taken a bite of cheese, then lies in wait by a mouse hole. ---
**Author:** ![tdn](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/t/94ad74/32.png) [@tdn](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/tdn)\ **Post date:** [February 10, 2012, 8:38pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/baited-breath/612409/16 "2012-02-10T20:38:52Z")
> [@cochrane](#): > > It’s what a cat has when he has taken a bite of cheese, then lies in wait by a mouse hole. I can’t believe that I almost fell for that hook, line, and sinker. ---
**Author:** ![suranyi](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/s/e36b37/32.png) [@suranyi](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/suranyi)\ **Post date:** [February 11, 2012, 12:56am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/baited-breath/612409/17 "2012-02-11T00:56:28Z")
> [@MrDibble](#): > > My bold > Consider us taught 🙂 Whoops. ---
**Author:** ![Johnny\_L.A](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/johnny_l.a/32/1084_2.png) [@Johnny\_L.A](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Johnny_L.A)\ **Post date:** [February 11, 2012, 3:43pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/baited-breath/612409/18 "2012-02-11T15:43:48Z")
> [@suranyi](#): > > Whoops. You probably missed that **lessen**. ‘And how many hours a day did you do lessons?’ asked Alice, in a hurry to change the subject. ‘Ten hours the first day,’ said the Mock Turtle: ‘nine the next, and so on.’ ‘What a curious plan!’ exclaimed Alice. ‘That’s the reason they’re called lessons,’ the Gryphon remarked: ‘because they lessen from day to day.’ > [@brewha](#): > > Seriously? Google is much easier than joining a message board and starting a thread. OTOH if he hadn’t, I would not have learned the word ‘eggcorn’. ---
**Author:** ![BigT](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/bigt/32/12044_2.png) [@BigT](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/BigT)\ **Post date:** [February 11, 2012, 4:24pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/baited-breath/612409/19 "2012-02-11T16:24:17Z")
> [@brewha](#): > > Seriously? Google is much easier than joining a message board and starting a thread. > > [Baited Breath](http://bit.ly/Aac76v) > > It works even if you spell it wrong. I think people overestimate how many people actually know how to use Google to answer questions. ---
**Author:** ![bibliophage](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/bibliophage/32/7615_2.png) [@bibliophage](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/bibliophage)\ **Post date:** [February 11, 2012, 4:52pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/baited-breath/612409/20 "2012-02-11T16:52:38Z")
> [@Inigo\_Montoya](#): > > I’m wondering if debate, rebate, probate and masturbate all share a common etymology. Reprobate. [Next page](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/baited-breath/612409.md?page=2)