bated breath

The phrase "bated breath" is an idiomatic expression that means to hold one's breath in anticipation or excitement. It refers to a state of eager suspense, where a person is extremely eager or anxious about something and is waiting with great anticipation for a specific outcome or result. The word "bated" is a contraction of the word "abated," which means to reduce or lessen. So "bated breath" implies that the person is so intensely focused or emotionally invested in something that they are almost holding their breath, waiting with a mixture of excitement and anxiety.