- with bated breath
- with bated breath(holding one's breath) in fear or suspense• • •Main Entry: ↑bate————————with bated breathWith breath restrained out of suspense, fear or reverence• • •Main Entry: ↑breath
* * *
with bated breath phraseworried or excited and paying a lot of attention because you want to know what will happenWe waited with bated breath to find out who had won.
Main entry: bated* * *
with bated breath: in a nervous and excited state because you do not know what will happenThey waited for the answer with bated breath. [=they nervously waited for the answer]
• • •Main Entry: ↑bated————————with bated breath — see ↑bated• • •Main Entry: ↑breath* * *
with bated ˈbreath idiom•
We waited with bated breath for the winner to be announced.
Useful english dictionary. 2012.