Middle English Dictionary Entry
bāten v.(1)
Entry Info
| Forms | bāten v.(1) |
| Etymology | From abāten . |
Definitions (Senses and Subsenses)
1.
(a) To reduce (heat); check (a fire); of rain: to abate, cease; (b) to curtail (wages); ~ mesure, give less than full measure.
Associated quotations
a
- (a1398) *Trev.Barth.(Add 27944)157b/b : Þe see..bynymmeþ vs the beemes of the sonne and bateþ þe hete þerof.
- a1400 Alle-mighty god in trinitie (Roy 17.B.17)37/96 : Fire þat neuer sleckid..þat al þo water in þo see..ne myght hit bate.
- c1400(?c1380) Cleanness (Nero A.10)440 : Þen he..stoped þe wellez, Bed blynne of þe rayn; hit batede as fast.
b
- (1440) PParv.(Hrl 221)26 : Batyn or abaten of weyte or mesure: Subtraho.
- a1500 ECom.Policy (Lnsd 796)p.286 : Theyre wages be batyd, theyre weyte ys encresyd.
2.
(a) To suppress or do away with (strife, injustice, etc.); of strife: to cease; (b) to cast down or humble (arrogance, boastfulness).
Associated quotations
a
- ?a1400(a1338) Mannyng Chron.Pt.2 (Petyt 511)p.87 : Bated was þe strife.
- ?a1400(a1338) Mannyng Chron.Pt.2 (Petyt 511)p.338 : & bate alle oþer outrage.
- c1400(?a1300) KAlex.(LdMisc 622)7490 : Þou ne haste on erþe no pere..Þou batest wronge, þou hauntest riȝttes.
- a1450(a1338) Mannyng Chron.Pt.1 (Lamb 131)3014 : Preynge forto deliuere his wyf & his casteles, & bate alle st[r]yf.
- c1450(c1405) Mum & S.(2) (Add 41666)1607 : Hit wold pese þe peuple and many pleyntes bate.
b
- a1450 Dux Moraud (BodPoet f.2)21 : I xal bate ȝowre pride Wyt dynt.
- c1450 Whanne marye was greet (Lamb 853)499 : Þe deuelis boost þus gan he bate.
- ?c1450 St.Cuth.(Eg 3309)4916 : Forto bate þair boste.
- c1460(?c1400) Beryn (Nthld 55)2482 : To bate down hir pride.
- a1500(?a1475) Guy(4) (Cmb Ff.2.38)97 : Ther was noon..That durste aȝenste hys lorde stonde, But he batyd anon hys boste.
3.
(a) To alleviate or allay (suffering, worry); subdue (lust); (b) ~ chere, ~ countenaunce, ~ mod, ~ herte, lose one's courage or composure; of courage: to fail.
Associated quotations
a
- c1300 Body & S.(5) (LdMisc 108)p.55 : O poynt of ore pine to bate, In þe world ne is no leche.
- c1390 NHom.Narrat.(Vrn)290/115 : His lust and lykyng, hit was Bated; ffor þries in þat niht he was baþed.
- a1400 Cursor (Göt Theol 107)10942 : Dow þai þar-fore murnand were, þai batid [Ld: abatid; Vsp: mithed] it mekil wid þair chere Almast to þair liues ende.
- a1450(a1338) Mannyng Chron.Pt.1 (Lamb 131)569 : We ladies are..in care, & þou may bate al þat gilt.
- ?c1450 St.Cuth.(Eg 3309)1041 : He batyd noȝt his bale brym.
b
- c1380 Firumb.(1) (Ashm 33)749 : His guttes þer-with gunne out falle..& ȝut stod he strong & stif with-alle & ne batedede noȝt is mod.
- (a1387) Trev.Higd.(StJ-C H.1)3.311 : Dyogenes..bated [vr. abated] nevere contenaunce.
- c1450(?a1400) Wars Alex.(Ashm 44)4156 : Þan comforthis þaim þe conquirour..'baise ȝow noȝt, my baratours, ne batis noȝt ȝour hertis!'
- (a1470) Malory Wks.(Win-C)144/8 : He helde up his shelde and loste no grounde, nother batyd no chere.
4.
?To stop (in describing what happened), come to the end (of one's story).
Associated quotations
- a1350(1307) Execution Fraser (Hrl 2253)141 : 'Sire, we beþ dede..Nou ychot oure waiour turneþ ous to grome.' So y bate: y do ou to wyte, here heued wes of smyte.
Supplemental Materials (draft)
Note: Etymology: [Apheretic form of abāten, abātien v.]