n.
Pronunciation: ' r ē - ˌ b ā t, ri- '
Function: verb
Inflected Form: re · bat · ed ; re · bat · ing
Etymology: Middle English, from Anglo-French rebatre, rabatre to beat back, deduct, from re- + abatre to strike down, from a- (fr. Latin ad- ) + batre to beat, from Latin battuere
Date: 14th century
transitive verb
1 : to reduce the force or activity of : DIMINISH
2 : to reduce the sharpness of : BLUNT
3 a : to make a rebate of b : to give a rebate to
intransitive verb : to give rebates
– re · bat · er noun