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oroboros commented on the word bated breath
See baited breath.
September 15, 2007
cryptofascistbbq commented on the word bated breath
No, do not see "baited" breath. One does not bait one's breath, though I suppose there are those whose breath suggests they have. One "bates" one's breath, as in "abate", or stay, or suspend.
July 3, 2009
plethora commented on the word bated breath
crypto, if you had clicked on the link, you would see that noone is suggesting baited breath is correct.
July 3, 2009
dontcry commented on the word bated breath
You must see baited breath. It's reely funny!
July 3, 2009
groukas commented on the word bated breath
The phrase is from Shakespeare's Merchant of Venice, 1596:
"With bated breath, and whispring humblenesse."
It's a contraction of "abated breath," or "stopped breath." Imagine the gap in breathing that occurs right after a gasp or the cessation of breath that happens when you see something astonishing. It's very often misspelled "baited breath."
July 18, 2009