Comments on: Appeals Court Won’t Unseal Spitzer Wiretap Applications

By: MarkH

MarkH — Tue, 11 Aug 2009 05:59:14 +0000

Refusing to look it up before commenting…

bated = held
unabated = not released
abating = releasing
abated = after release

unabated is a state of maintaining batement(?).

Seems there must be another use of the word pointing to pre-held, chronologically before as unabated is during and abated is after.

Oh well.

By: Synoia

Synoia — Tue, 11 Aug 2009 00:28:31 +0000

bated breath – breath held. (unabated – without restraint).
baited breath – breath used as bait, as in baited hook.

Aside: Exon, pronounced identically as Exxon, has a precise meaning, and an appropriate one for an oil company.

By: johnie2xs

johnie2xs — Tue, 11 Aug 2009 00:04:45 +0000

Considering what task Spitzer had taken on, by becoming the Sheriff of Wall Street, I never had any doubt that the whole thing was a set-up from the beginning.

By: allan

allan — Mon, 10 Aug 2009 23:53:57 +0000

Let’s see:
Using public funds to have sex with a younger woman not your wife: OK.
Using private funds to have sex with a younger woman not your wife: not OK
(if a Repub is the local US Attorney).

By: MrCleaveland

MrCleaveland — Mon, 10 Aug 2009 23:46:39 +0000

Thank you, Gregg. That’s a good sentiment.

So can we delete my original message and your reply, as they are no longer necessary? I don’t want to unduly embarrass anyone.

By: Gregg Levine

Gregg Levine — Mon, 10 Aug 2009 23:31:19 +0000

Nitpicks in the service of the English language always appreciated. Fixed.

By: MrCleaveland

MrCleaveland — Mon, 10 Aug 2009 23:19:30 +0000

Dear Cynthia,

This is meant to be helpful, not nitpicky. The phrase is “bated breath,” not “baited.” Bated is short for “abated,” as opposed to unabated. Don’t ask me why.

I absolutely loved your piece on civility yesterday.