Definitions

from The Century Dictionary.

  • noun One who excites contentions and quarrels.
  • noun A plant, Jasminum fruticans.

from the GNU version of the Collaborative International Dictionary of English.

  • noun obsolete One who excites contentions and quarrels.

from Wiktionary, Creative Commons Attribution/Share-Alike License.

  • noun One who excites contentions and quarrels; an instigator.
  • noun A plant, Jasminum fruticans.

Etymologies

from Wiktionary, Creative Commons Attribution/Share-Alike License

From make +‎ bate.

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Examples

  • But after all he pays well that pays with gold; and Mike Lambourne was never a makebate, or a spoil-sport, or the like.

    Kenilworth 2004

  • [Sidenote: 2 Object.] [Sidenote: A makebate.] [Sidenote: Tenterden steeple.]

    A Coal From The Altar, To Kindle The Holy Fire of Zeale In a Sermon Preached at a Generall Visitation at Ipswich Samuel Ward

  • Barillon was therefore directed to act, with all possible precautions against detection, the part of a makebate.

    The History of England, from the Accession of James II — Volume 2 Thomas Babington Macaulay Macaulay 1829

  • But after all he pays well that pays with gold; and Mike Lambourne was never a makebate, or a spoil-sport, or the like.

    Kenilworth Walter Scott 1801

  • Troublemakers: scapegrace ` wild and unprincipled, 'rakehell ` lewd and dissolute,' scarebabe (- bairn in Scotland), drawblood, flingbrand, blowcoal, makebate (as in ` debate '), stirpassion and stirstrife (why the wildflower loosestrife is accused of this propensity I know not), spitfire and shitefire

    VERBATIM: The Language Quarterly Vol V No 1 1987

  • (25, 294) See also bunkum. makebate, n. contentious person.

    VERBATIM: The Language Quarterly Vol X No 4 1984

  • Grandfather Adams discusses a petition opposing the Erie Canal which was signed by every makebate, dawplucker and mal-content. meteorastic, adj. denoting a school of medicine that believed that all diseases came from the air.

    VERBATIM: The Language Quarterly Vol X No 4 1984

  • Angus answered somewhat sulkily, that “he was no makebate, or stirrer-up of quarrels; he would rather be a peacemaker.

    A Legend of Montrose 2008

  • “It is not necessary you should altogether abandon him, though you dismiss him to another service, or to a calling better suiting his station and character,” said the preacher; “elsewhere he maybe an useful and profitable member of the commonweal — here he is but a makebate, and a stumbling-block of offence.

    The Abbot 2008

  • All this, as was most natural and proper, only stimulated the Lady’s curiosity; neither was her importunity to be parried with, — “Thank God, I am no makebate — no tale-bearer, — thank God, I never envied any one’s favour, or was anxious to propale their misdemeanour-only, thank God, there has been no bloodshed and murder in the house — that is all.”

    The Abbot 2008

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  • Troublesome, troublesome vegetation.

    June 26, 2012