/rooh bah"toh/ ; It. /rddooh bah"taw/ , adj., n., pl. rubatos, rubati /-tee/ , adv. Music.
adj.
1. having certain notes arbitrarily lengthened while others are correspondingly shortened, or vice versa.
n.
2. a rubato phrase or passage.
3. a rubato performance.
adv.
4. in a rubato manner.
[ 1880-85; tempo ) rubato stolen (time), ptp. of rubare to steal ]