verb

• (transitive) To reduce the force of something; to abate.
  "Ah, left ſome Thorn ſhoul'd pierce thy tender Foot, / Or thou ſhoul'dſt fall in flying my purſuit! / To ſharp uneven Ways thy ſteps decline; / Abate thy Speed, and I will bate of mine."
• (transitive) To restrain, usually with the sense of being in anticipation
  "[…] and to his dying day he bated his breath a little when he told the story of the stroke with the willow wand."
• (transitive, sometimes figuratively) To cut off, remove, take away.
  "Also about Autumne bate the earth from about the roots of Olives, and lay them bare, but in stead thereof put good mucke thereto."
• (archaic, transitive) To leave out, except, bar.
  "Bate the King, and be he fleſh and blood, / He lyes that ſaies it, thy mother at fifteen / Was black and ſinful to her."

verb

• (intransitive) To contend or strive with blows or arguments.
• (intransitive, falconry) Of a falcon: To flap the wings vigorously; to bait.
  "The fiꝛſt is holde faſt at all timys, and ſpecially whan ſhe batith. It is calde batyng, for ſhe batith with hiꝛ ſelfe moſt oftyn cauſeles[.]"

verb

• (transitive) To soak leather so as to remove chemicals used in tanning; to steep in bate.

verb

• (obsolete or nonstandard) simple past of beat; = beat.
  "Fitzpatrick, now perceiving […] that he had made a very unfortunate mistake, began to ask many pardons of the lady; and then, turning to Jones, he said, “I would have you take notice I do not ask your pardon, for you have bate me; for which I am resolved to have your blood in the morning.”"