To begin with, it’s “bated” as opposed to “baited”. “Waiting with baited breath” is clearly rather nonsensical. You’re waiting with your breath set as bait in a trap? Bated is an archaic, abreviated form of “abated”. So, “waiting with abated breath,” essentially means that your breath has lessened, or likely stopped, because you’re wracked with … Continue reading To Answer Sarah’s Question