"with bated breath" meaning in English

See with bated breath in All languages combined, or Wiktionary

Prepositional phrase

IPA: /wɪð ˈbeɪtɪd ˈbɹɛθ/ [Received-Pronunciation, US] Audio: en-us-with bated breath.ogg [US], en-au-with bated breath.ogg [Australia]
Etymology: From the verb bate, alteration by aphesis of the verb abate (“to reduce; lessen”). Coined by William Shakespeare in The Merchant of Venice, see quotations. Etymology templates: {{m|en|bate}} bate, {{glossary|aphesis}} aphesis, {{m|en|abate|t=to reduce; lessen}} abate (“to reduce; lessen”), {{coin|en|William Shakespeare}} Coined by William Shakespeare Head templates: {{head|en|prepositional phrase|head=}} with bated breath, {{en-PP}} with bated breath
  1. With reduced breath. Synonyms: with 'bated breath, with baited breath [common, misspelling] Related terms: breathholding, don't hold your breath, hold one's breath Translations (holding one's breath): з зато́еным дыха́ннем (z zatójenym dyxánnjem) (Belarusian), затаі́ўшы дыха́нне (zataíŭšy dyxánnje) (Belarusian), стаі́ўшы дыха́нне (staíŭšy dyxánnje) (Belarusian), със затае́н дъх (sǎs zataén dǎh) (Bulgarian), se zatajeným dechem (Czech), henkeä pidätellen (Finnish), en retenant son souffle (French), mit angehaltenem Atem (German), בקוצר רוח (Hebrew), 숨을 죽이고 (sum-eul jugigo) (Korean), z zapartym tchem (Polish), затаи́в дыха́ние (zataív dyxánije) (Russian), so zatajeným dychom (Slovak), conteniendo el aliento (Spanish), med återhållen andedräkt (Swedish), затамува́вши по́дих (zatamuvávšy pódyx) (Ukrainian)
    Sense id: en-with_bated_breath-en-prep_phrase-~vSSCgVJ Disambiguation of "holding one's breath": 99 1
  2. (idiomatic) Eagerly; with great anticipation. Tags: idiomatic Translations (eagerly): met ingehouden adem (Dutch), henkeä pidätellen (Finnish), avec impatience (French), mit angehaltenem Atem (German), lélegzetvisszafojtva (Hungarian), z zapartym tchem (Polish), prendendo o fôlego (Portuguese), com a respiração em suspenso (Portuguese), com a respiração suspensa (Portuguese), затаи́в дыха́ние (zataív dyxánije) (Russian), pasmado (Spanish), con aliento entrecortado (Spanish), med andan i halsgropen (Swedish), ఊపిరి బిగబట్టి (ūpiri bigabaṭṭi) (Telugu)
    Sense id: en-with_bated_breath-en-prep_phrase-APCKsLwJ Categories (other): English entries with incorrect language header Disambiguation of English entries with incorrect language header: 39 61 Disambiguation of 'eagerly': 0 100

Alternative forms

Download JSON data for with bated breath meaning in English (6.5kB)

{
  "etymology_templates": [
    {
      "args": {
        "1": "en",
        "2": "bate"
      },
      "expansion": "bate",
      "name": "m"
    },
    {
      "args": {
        "1": "aphesis"
      },
      "expansion": "aphesis",
      "name": "glossary"
    },
    {
      "args": {
        "1": "en",
        "2": "abate",
        "t": "to reduce; lessen"
      },
      "expansion": "abate (“to reduce; lessen”)",
      "name": "m"
    },
    {
      "args": {
        "1": "en",
        "2": "William Shakespeare"
      },
      "expansion": "Coined by William Shakespeare",
      "name": "coin"
    }
  ],
  "etymology_text": "From the verb bate, alteration by aphesis of the verb abate (“to reduce; lessen”). Coined by William Shakespeare in The Merchant of Venice, see quotations.",
  "head_templates": [
    {
      "args": {
        "1": "en",
        "2": "prepositional phrase",
        "head": ""
      },
      "expansion": "with bated breath",
      "name": "head"
    },
    {
      "args": {},
      "expansion": "with bated breath",
      "name": "en-PP"
    }
  ],
  "lang": "English",
  "lang_code": "en",
  "pos": "prep_phrase",
  "senses": [
    {
      "categories": [],
      "examples": [
        {
          "ref": "1878, Edward Hayes Plumptre, transl., Philoctetes, lines 845–846",
          "text": "Speak gently, Ο my son, speak gently now / With 'bated breath, speak low.",
          "type": "quotation"
        }
      ],
      "glosses": [
        "With reduced breath."
      ],
      "id": "en-with_bated_breath-en-prep_phrase-~vSSCgVJ",
      "links": [
        [
          "breath",
          "breath"
        ]
      ],
      "related": [
        {
          "_dis1": "99 1",
          "word": "breathholding"
        },
        {
          "_dis1": "99 1",
          "word": "don't hold your breath"
        },
        {
          "_dis1": "99 1",
          "word": "hold one's breath"
        }
      ],
      "synonyms": [
        {
          "_dis1": "99 1",
          "word": "with 'bated breath"
        },
        {
          "_dis1": "99 1",
          "tags": [
            "common",
            "misspelling"
          ],
          "word": "with baited breath"
        }
      ],
      "translations": [
        {
          "_dis1": "99 1",
          "code": "be",
          "lang": "Belarusian",
          "roman": "z zatójenym dyxánnjem",
          "sense": "holding one's breath",
          "word": "з зато́еным дыха́ннем"
        },
        {
          "_dis1": "99 1",
          "code": "be",
          "lang": "Belarusian",
          "roman": "zataíŭšy dyxánnje",
          "sense": "holding one's breath",
          "word": "затаі́ўшы дыха́нне"
        },
        {
          "_dis1": "99 1",
          "code": "be",
          "lang": "Belarusian",
          "roman": "staíŭšy dyxánnje",
          "sense": "holding one's breath",
          "word": "стаі́ўшы дыха́нне"
        },
        {
          "_dis1": "99 1",
          "code": "bg",
          "lang": "Bulgarian",
          "roman": "sǎs zataén dǎh",
          "sense": "holding one's breath",
          "word": "със затае́н дъх"
        },
        {
          "_dis1": "99 1",
          "code": "cs",
          "lang": "Czech",
          "sense": "holding one's breath",
          "word": "se zatajeným dechem"
        },
        {
          "_dis1": "99 1",
          "code": "fi",
          "lang": "Finnish",
          "sense": "holding one's breath",
          "word": "henkeä pidätellen"
        },
        {
          "_dis1": "99 1",
          "code": "fr",
          "lang": "French",
          "sense": "holding one's breath",
          "word": "en retenant son souffle"
        },
        {
          "_dis1": "99 1",
          "code": "de",
          "lang": "German",
          "sense": "holding one's breath",
          "word": "mit angehaltenem Atem"
        },
        {
          "_dis1": "99 1",
          "code": "he",
          "lang": "Hebrew",
          "sense": "holding one's breath",
          "word": "בקוצר רוח"
        },
        {
          "_dis1": "99 1",
          "code": "ko",
          "lang": "Korean",
          "roman": "sum-eul jugigo",
          "sense": "holding one's breath",
          "word": "숨을 죽이고"
        },
        {
          "_dis1": "99 1",
          "code": "pl",
          "lang": "Polish",
          "sense": "holding one's breath",
          "word": "z zapartym tchem"
        },
        {
          "_dis1": "99 1",
          "code": "ru",
          "lang": "Russian",
          "roman": "zataív dyxánije",
          "sense": "holding one's breath",
          "word": "затаи́в дыха́ние"
        },
        {
          "_dis1": "99 1",
          "code": "sk",
          "lang": "Slovak",
          "sense": "holding one's breath",
          "word": "so zatajeným dychom"
        },
        {
          "_dis1": "99 1",
          "code": "es",
          "lang": "Spanish",
          "sense": "holding one's breath",
          "word": "conteniendo el aliento"
        },
        {
          "_dis1": "99 1",
          "code": "sv",
          "lang": "Swedish",
          "sense": "holding one's breath",
          "word": "med återhållen andedräkt"
        },
        {
          "_dis1": "99 1",
          "code": "uk",
          "lang": "Ukrainian",
          "roman": "zatamuvávšy pódyx",
          "sense": "holding one's breath",
          "word": "затамува́вши по́дих"
        }
      ]
    },
    {
      "categories": [
        {
          "_dis": "39 61",
          "kind": "other",
          "name": "English entries with incorrect language header",
          "parents": [
            "Entries with incorrect language header",
            "Entry maintenance"
          ],
          "source": "w+disamb"
        }
      ],
      "examples": [
        {
          "text": "We are waiting with bated breath for the release of the new version.",
          "type": "example"
        }
      ],
      "glosses": [
        "Eagerly; with great anticipation."
      ],
      "id": "en-with_bated_breath-en-prep_phrase-APCKsLwJ",
      "links": [
        [
          "Eagerly",
          "eager"
        ],
        [
          "anticipation",
          "anticipation"
        ]
      ],
      "raw_glosses": [
        "(idiomatic) Eagerly; with great anticipation."
      ],
      "tags": [
        "idiomatic"
      ],
      "translations": [
        {
          "_dis1": "0 100",
          "code": "nl",
          "lang": "Dutch",
          "sense": "eagerly",
          "word": "met ingehouden adem"
        },
        {
          "_dis1": "0 100",
          "code": "fi",
          "lang": "Finnish",
          "sense": "eagerly",
          "word": "henkeä pidätellen"
        },
        {
          "_dis1": "0 100",
          "code": "fr",
          "lang": "French",
          "sense": "eagerly",
          "word": "avec impatience"
        },
        {
          "_dis1": "0 100",
          "code": "de",
          "lang": "German",
          "sense": "eagerly",
          "word": "mit angehaltenem Atem"
        },
        {
          "_dis1": "0 100",
          "code": "hu",
          "lang": "Hungarian",
          "sense": "eagerly",
          "word": "lélegzetvisszafojtva"
        },
        {
          "_dis1": "0 100",
          "code": "pl",
          "lang": "Polish",
          "sense": "eagerly",
          "word": "z zapartym tchem"
        },
        {
          "_dis1": "0 100",
          "code": "pt",
          "lang": "Portuguese",
          "sense": "eagerly",
          "word": "prendendo o fôlego"
        },
        {
          "_dis1": "0 100",
          "code": "pt",
          "lang": "Portuguese",
          "sense": "eagerly",
          "word": "com a respiração em suspenso"
        },
        {
          "_dis1": "0 100",
          "code": "pt",
          "lang": "Portuguese",
          "sense": "eagerly",
          "word": "com a respiração suspensa"
        },
        {
          "_dis1": "0 100",
          "code": "ru",
          "lang": "Russian",
          "roman": "zataív dyxánije",
          "sense": "eagerly",
          "word": "затаи́в дыха́ние"
        },
        {
          "_dis1": "0 100",
          "code": "es",
          "lang": "Spanish",
          "sense": "eagerly",
          "word": "pasmado"
        },
        {
          "_dis1": "0 100",
          "code": "es",
          "lang": "Spanish",
          "sense": "eagerly",
          "word": "con aliento entrecortado"
        },
        {
          "_dis1": "0 100",
          "code": "sv",
          "lang": "Swedish",
          "sense": "eagerly",
          "word": "med andan i halsgropen"
        },
        {
          "_dis1": "0 100",
          "code": "te",
          "lang": "Telugu",
          "roman": "ūpiri bigabaṭṭi",
          "sense": "eagerly",
          "word": "ఊపిరి బిగబట్టి"
        }
      ]
    }
  ],
  "sounds": [
    {
      "ipa": "/wɪð ˈbeɪtɪd ˈbɹɛθ/",
      "tags": [
        "Received-Pronunciation",
        "US"
      ]
    },
    {
      "audio": "en-us-with bated breath.ogg",
      "mp3_url": "https://upload.wikimedia.org/wikipedia/commons/transcoded/f/f8/En-us-with_bated_breath.ogg/En-us-with_bated_breath.ogg.mp3",
      "ogg_url": "https://upload.wikimedia.org/wikipedia/commons/f/f8/En-us-with_bated_breath.ogg",
      "tags": [
        "US"
      ],
      "text": "Audio (US)"
    },
    {
      "audio": "en-au-with bated breath.ogg",
      "mp3_url": "https://upload.wikimedia.org/wikipedia/commons/transcoded/1/13/En-au-with_bated_breath.ogg/En-au-with_bated_breath.ogg.mp3",
      "ogg_url": "https://upload.wikimedia.org/wikipedia/commons/1/13/En-au-with_bated_breath.ogg",
      "tags": [
        "Australia"
      ],
      "text": "Audio (AU)"
    }
  ],
  "word": "with bated breath"
}
{
  "categories": [
    "English coinages",
    "English entries with incorrect language header",
    "English lemmas",
    "English multiword terms",
    "English prepositional phrases",
    "English terms coined by William Shakespeare",
    "English terms with IPA pronunciation",
    "English terms with audio links"
  ],
  "etymology_templates": [
    {
      "args": {
        "1": "en",
        "2": "bate"
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      "expansion": "bate",
      "name": "m"
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      "args": {
        "1": "aphesis"
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      "expansion": "aphesis",
      "name": "glossary"
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      "args": {
        "1": "en",
        "2": "abate",
        "t": "to reduce; lessen"
      },
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      "name": "m"
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    {
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        "2": "William Shakespeare"
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      "expansion": "Coined by William Shakespeare",
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    }
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  "etymology_text": "From the verb bate, alteration by aphesis of the verb abate (“to reduce; lessen”). Coined by William Shakespeare in The Merchant of Venice, see quotations.",
  "head_templates": [
    {
      "args": {
        "1": "en",
        "2": "prepositional phrase",
        "head": ""
      },
      "expansion": "with bated breath",
      "name": "head"
    },
    {
      "args": {},
      "expansion": "with bated breath",
      "name": "en-PP"
    }
  ],
  "lang": "English",
  "lang_code": "en",
  "pos": "prep_phrase",
  "related": [
    {
      "word": "breathholding"
    },
    {
      "word": "don't hold your breath"
    },
    {
      "word": "hold one's breath"
    }
  ],
  "senses": [
    {
      "categories": [
        "English terms with quotations"
      ],
      "examples": [
        {
          "ref": "1878, Edward Hayes Plumptre, transl., Philoctetes, lines 845–846",
          "text": "Speak gently, Ο my son, speak gently now / With 'bated breath, speak low.",
          "type": "quotation"
        }
      ],
      "glosses": [
        "With reduced breath."
      ],
      "links": [
        [
          "breath",
          "breath"
        ]
      ]
    },
    {
      "categories": [
        "English idioms",
        "English terms with usage examples"
      ],
      "examples": [
        {
          "text": "We are waiting with bated breath for the release of the new version.",
          "type": "example"
        }
      ],
      "glosses": [
        "Eagerly; with great anticipation."
      ],
      "links": [
        [
          "Eagerly",
          "eager"
        ],
        [
          "anticipation",
          "anticipation"
        ]
      ],
      "raw_glosses": [
        "(idiomatic) Eagerly; with great anticipation."
      ],
      "tags": [
        "idiomatic"
      ]
    }
  ],
  "sounds": [
    {
      "ipa": "/wɪð ˈbeɪtɪd ˈbɹɛθ/",
      "tags": [
        "Received-Pronunciation",
        "US"
      ]
    },
    {
      "audio": "en-us-with bated breath.ogg",
      "mp3_url": "https://upload.wikimedia.org/wikipedia/commons/transcoded/f/f8/En-us-with_bated_breath.ogg/En-us-with_bated_breath.ogg.mp3",
      "ogg_url": "https://upload.wikimedia.org/wikipedia/commons/f/f8/En-us-with_bated_breath.ogg",
      "tags": [
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      "text": "Audio (US)"
    },
    {
      "audio": "en-au-with bated breath.ogg",
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      "ogg_url": "https://upload.wikimedia.org/wikipedia/commons/1/13/En-au-with_bated_breath.ogg",
      "tags": [
        "Australia"
      ],
      "text": "Audio (AU)"
    }
  ],
  "synonyms": [
    {
      "word": "with 'bated breath"
    },
    {
      "tags": [
        "common",
        "misspelling"
      ],
      "word": "with baited breath"
    }
  ],
  "translations": [
    {
      "code": "be",
      "lang": "Belarusian",
      "roman": "z zatójenym dyxánnjem",
      "sense": "holding one's breath",
      "word": "з зато́еным дыха́ннем"
    },
    {
      "code": "be",
      "lang": "Belarusian",
      "roman": "zataíŭšy dyxánnje",
      "sense": "holding one's breath",
      "word": "затаі́ўшы дыха́нне"
    },
    {
      "code": "be",
      "lang": "Belarusian",
      "roman": "staíŭšy dyxánnje",
      "sense": "holding one's breath",
      "word": "стаі́ўшы дыха́нне"
    },
    {
      "code": "bg",
      "lang": "Bulgarian",
      "roman": "sǎs zataén dǎh",
      "sense": "holding one's breath",
      "word": "със затае́н дъх"
    },
    {
      "code": "cs",
      "lang": "Czech",
      "sense": "holding one's breath",
      "word": "se zatajeným dechem"
    },
    {
      "code": "fi",
      "lang": "Finnish",
      "sense": "holding one's breath",
      "word": "henkeä pidätellen"
    },
    {
      "code": "fr",
      "lang": "French",
      "sense": "holding one's breath",
      "word": "en retenant son souffle"
    },
    {
      "code": "de",
      "lang": "German",
      "sense": "holding one's breath",
      "word": "mit angehaltenem Atem"
    },
    {
      "code": "he",
      "lang": "Hebrew",
      "sense": "holding one's breath",
      "word": "בקוצר רוח"
    },
    {
      "code": "ko",
      "lang": "Korean",
      "roman": "sum-eul jugigo",
      "sense": "holding one's breath",
      "word": "숨을 죽이고"
    },
    {
      "code": "pl",
      "lang": "Polish",
      "sense": "holding one's breath",
      "word": "z zapartym tchem"
    },
    {
      "code": "ru",
      "lang": "Russian",
      "roman": "zataív dyxánije",
      "sense": "holding one's breath",
      "word": "затаи́в дыха́ние"
    },
    {
      "code": "sk",
      "lang": "Slovak",
      "sense": "holding one's breath",
      "word": "so zatajeným dychom"
    },
    {
      "code": "es",
      "lang": "Spanish",
      "sense": "holding one's breath",
      "word": "conteniendo el aliento"
    },
    {
      "code": "sv",
      "lang": "Swedish",
      "sense": "holding one's breath",
      "word": "med återhållen andedräkt"
    },
    {
      "code": "uk",
      "lang": "Ukrainian",
      "roman": "zatamuvávšy pódyx",
      "sense": "holding one's breath",
      "word": "затамува́вши по́дих"
    },
    {
      "code": "nl",
      "lang": "Dutch",
      "sense": "eagerly",
      "word": "met ingehouden adem"
    },
    {
      "code": "fi",
      "lang": "Finnish",
      "sense": "eagerly",
      "word": "henkeä pidätellen"
    },
    {
      "code": "fr",
      "lang": "French",
      "sense": "eagerly",
      "word": "avec impatience"
    },
    {
      "code": "de",
      "lang": "German",
      "sense": "eagerly",
      "word": "mit angehaltenem Atem"
    },
    {
      "code": "hu",
      "lang": "Hungarian",
      "sense": "eagerly",
      "word": "lélegzetvisszafojtva"
    },
    {
      "code": "pl",
      "lang": "Polish",
      "sense": "eagerly",
      "word": "z zapartym tchem"
    },
    {
      "code": "pt",
      "lang": "Portuguese",
      "sense": "eagerly",
      "word": "prendendo o fôlego"
    },
    {
      "code": "pt",
      "lang": "Portuguese",
      "sense": "eagerly",
      "word": "com a respiração em suspenso"
    },
    {
      "code": "pt",
      "lang": "Portuguese",
      "sense": "eagerly",
      "word": "com a respiração suspensa"
    },
    {
      "code": "ru",
      "lang": "Russian",
      "roman": "zataív dyxánije",
      "sense": "eagerly",
      "word": "затаи́в дыха́ние"
    },
    {
      "code": "es",
      "lang": "Spanish",
      "sense": "eagerly",
      "word": "pasmado"
    },
    {
      "code": "es",
      "lang": "Spanish",
      "sense": "eagerly",
      "word": "con aliento entrecortado"
    },
    {
      "code": "sv",
      "lang": "Swedish",
      "sense": "eagerly",
      "word": "med andan i halsgropen"
    },
    {
      "code": "te",
      "lang": "Telugu",
      "roman": "ūpiri bigabaṭṭi",
      "sense": "eagerly",
      "word": "ఊపిరి బిగబట్టి"
    }
  ],
  "word": "with bated breath"
}

This page is a part of the kaikki.org machine-readable English dictionary. This dictionary is based on structured data extracted on 2024-05-03 from the enwiktionary dump dated 2024-05-02 using wiktextract (f4fd8c9 and c9440ce). The data shown on this site has been post-processed and various details (e.g., extra categories) removed, some information disambiguated, and additional data merged from other sources. See the raw data download page for the unprocessed wiktextract data.

If you use this data in academic research, please cite Tatu Ylonen: Wiktextract: Wiktionary as Machine-Readable Structured Data, Proceedings of the 13th Conference on Language Resources and Evaluation (LREC), pp. 1317-1325, Marseille, 20-25 June 2022. Linking to the relevant page(s) under https://kaikki.org would also be greatly appreciated.