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Where does the term waiting with bated breath come from?

Where does the term waiting with bated breath come from?

You’ll breathe easier once you master this frequently misused phrase. Bated breath first appeared in Shakespeare’s Merchant of Venice in 1605. Using a shortened form of abated, which means “stopped or reduced,” the phrase refers to people holding their breath in excitement or fear as they wait to see what happens next.

What does it mean to watch with bated breath?

Eagerly or anxiously, as in We waited for the announcement of the winner with bated breath. This expression literally means “holding one’s breath” (bate means “restrain”). Today it is also used somewhat ironically, indicating one is not all that eager or anxious. [Late 1500s] Also see hold one’s breath, def.

Is it waiting with baited breath or bated breath?

“Bated” is a form of the word “abate,” which means “to diminish, beat down, or reduce,” and it’s spelled B-A-T-E-D. So when you’re waiting with bated breath (you can think of that as abated breath), you’re so eager, anxious, excited, or frightened that you’re almost holding your breath.

What is a bated?

1 : to reduce the force or intensity of : restrain waited with bated breath.

What does waiting with bells on mean?

I or we “will be there with bells on” suggests attending somewhere with enthusiasm or arriving in a noticeable or festive way.

What does baited mean slang?

to intentionally make a person angry by saying or doing things to annoy them: Ignore him – he’s just baiting you. I suspect he was just baiting me. SMART Vocabulary: related words and phrases. Causing feelings of anger and displeasure.

How do you use bated in a sentence?

Bated sentence example

  1. The words forced themselves out of her mouth and she gazed up at him with bated breath.
  2. The ancient Indian ritual for the sacrifice to the Fathers required the officiating priest to turn away with bated breath that he might not see the spirits engaged upon the rice-balls laid out for them.

What part of speech is bated?

verb (used without object), bat·ed, bat·ing.

What does be square mean?

Be There or Be Square Meaning Definition: If one does not attend a certain event, one is not “cool.” The expression be there or be square means that if one declines to attend an event, one is considered “uncool.” It implies that the event will be exciting. Someone who doesn’t attend is boring.

Where does the saying Heavens to Betsy come from?

Origin of Heavens to Betsy The origins of this expression are unclear. It may have originated sometime between the years 1850 and 1914. Heavens to Betsy is another variation of the phrase for Heaven’s sake, which began as a euphemism for what some considered the blasphemous for God’s sake and for Christ’s sake.

What is a bait girl?

Bait Girl definition, Bait Girl meaning | English dictionary term largely used in the 20’s to describe women who acted contrary to what was commonly expected by going out, drinking, smoking, dancing, wearing make-up etc.

What does baited out mean?

“Bait out” pages are online groups or pages that invite users to share nude images, videos or sexual gossip about others, according to Childnet. It can also involve videos being shared on public platforms such as YouTube where people are “named and shamed”.

What does it mean to wait with “bated breath”?

To wait with “bated breath” is to eagerly anticipate something, to be intensely focused on some future event. The phrase has become a regular part of idiomatic language in most English speaking areas of the world, but even many native English speakers may not recognize its true derivation and origin.

Where did the saying ‘Waiting with baited breath’ come from?

Bated is a variation of the word abated, both meaning restricted or diminshed. The word abated comes from the Middle English word “abatre”, which means to beat down. Therefore, when someone is in a state of fear or suspense and his breathing becomes restricted, he is said to be waiting with “bated breath.”.

What does it mean to be “waiting with baited breath”?

Generally speaking, “waiting with baited breath” means to have someone’s rapt attention as they wait in anticipation of a comment, response or action by someone else. It’s suggestive of having them on a fishing line and hook and they are waiting to be reeled in by whoever is holding the rod.

What are the origins of the phrase ‘Bated Breath’?

Bated breath is a phrase that means to hold one’s breath due to suspense, trepidation or fear. Bated breath is a phrase first mentioned in Shakespeare’s The Merchant of Venice . The word bated is an abbreviation of the word abated, meaning to lessen in severity or amount.