With bated breath idiom

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These examples are programmatically compiled from various online sources to illustrate current usage of the word 'with bated breath. Send us feedback about these examples. Accessed 23 Feb. Subscribe to America's largest dictionary and get thousands more definitions and advanced search—ad free! See Definitions and Examples ».

With bated breath idiom

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Log In. My Account. Candace Osmond. Candace has a keen eye for content editing and a high degree of expertise in Fiction. Many writers, including JK Rowling and her publishers, get confused between bated breath and baited breath. The correct spelling is bated breath, meaning in a nervous or excited state. Keep reading for an in-depth explanation of bated breath vs.

By signing in, you agree to our Terms and Conditions and Privacy Policy. We'll see you in your inbox soon. From the verb bate , alteration by aphesis of the verb abate , meaning 'to reduce' or 'lessen'. From Wiktionary. 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.

With bated breath idiom

Why is this a common idiom in American English? And where did it originate? When you are waiting for someone or something eagerly with a lot of expectation, then this phrase can be used. The word bate is an adjective that means being excited or anxious. It refers to a situation where there is a lot of anticipation and nervousness about something that is going to happen.

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Falconry and the sea are two rich sources of English expressions. Pick the best ones! The typical bait is a worm attached to a hook in fishing. Use this expression in your writing so you can consider yourself better than JK Rowling at one point! They got the people in the villages interested in what was going to happen, so they were then watching with bated breath as the experiment began. Sign up now or Log in. Log In. This phrase has come to mean having someone under your control, usually in a relationship. Knowing this makes the phrase a little bit less funny, somehow. English—Swedish Swedish—English. The dictionary defines this idiom as a nervous or excited state anticipating what will happen. Choose your language. Subscribe to America's largest dictionary and get thousands more definitions and advanced search—ad free! Articles Related to with bated breath.

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