bat-

(Latin: beat, strike, hit; attack)

debate (s) (noun), debates (pl)
1. A discussion in which reasons are advanced for and against some proposition or proposal: A debate may be an organized event, an informal discussion between two or more people, or a general discussion that involves several people.

If something is a matter of debate, or is open to debates, then it means that people have different ideas and opinions about the subject.

Rebecca's and Keith's quiet discussion about politics quickly turned into a heated debate.

2. Etymology: from French debattre; originally, "to fight"; from de-, "down, completely" + batre, "to beat".
debate (verb), debates; debated; debating
1. To talk about something at length and in detail; especially, as part of a formal exchange of opinions: The candidate for President of the U.S. was debating with his challenger in front of a TV audience.
2. To ponder, or to think, about something carefully: The accuracy of Dr. Clegg's opinion was debated by his colleagues.
debater (s) (noun), debaters (pl)
1. A person who participates in discussions, informal or structured, about particular issues: Brenda is considered the best debater on our university team.
2. A disputant or someone who is involved in a formal discussion in a public meeting or legislature, in which opposing arguments are presented: The two senators, who were the debaters, had a heated argument about whether the U.S. should send more troops to the war zone.
rebatable (adjective), more rebatable, most rebatable
1. Able to be returned as part of an original payment for some service or merchandise: There was a rebatable guarantee if the customer was not satisfied.
2. Regarding the possibility of being partially refunded: Andrew returned the rebatable merchandise to the store.
rebate (s) (noun), rebates (pl)
1. Money that is paid back; for example, because someone has overpaid a tax or is entitled to a refund: Since Jim, the clerk, made a mistake in charging too much, Pamela received a rebate for the overcharge.
2. A discount or deduction on a sales price: Heather received a rebate for the new computer because she was a university student and students were offered rebates if they bought their laptops before a specified date.
3. A return of part of an original payment for some service or merchandise: Albert received a partial rebate for buying so many clothes.
4. To lower the amount or rate of something; such as, a tax: Ryan received a rebate after filing his tax return.
5. Etymology: "to deduct, subtract" comes from Old French rabattre, "to beat down, to drive back"; also "deduct", from re-, "repeatedly" + abattre, "to beat down".

The meaning "to pay back (a sum) as a rebate" is believed to come from about 1957.

unabated (adjective), more unabated, most unabated
1. A reference to the continuance of full strength or intensity: Janet's unabated popularity as an actress remains despite the fact that she has been charged with shoplifting.

Even with the high prices, demand for oil continues to grow at an unabated speed so oil companies must find fresh crude reserves to replace the declining output from existing fields.

2. Still as forceful or intense as before without diminishing in strength: The rain has continued with unabated force during the last two days resulting in destructive floods over a wide area.
unabatedly (adverb), more unabatedly, most unabatedly
Characterized as being of undiminished force, power, or vigor: The tornadoes are unabatedly sustaining their original full forces.
War or Battle Techniques that Continue Unabately

Techniques of War Operations

A general must be skillful in preparing the materials of war and in supplying his soldiers; he must be a man of mechanical ingenuity, careful, persevering, sagacious, kind and yet severe, open yet crafty, careful of his own but ready to steal from others, profuse yet rapacious, cautious yet enterprising.

—Xenophon, ancient Greek historian and military leader
If the enemy advances, we retreat.
If he halts, we harass.
If he avoids battle, we attack.
If he retreats, we follow.
—North Vietnamese General Vo Nguyen Giap

Although disarmingly straightforward, these rules proved enormously effective. Under Giap's leadership, the North Vietnamese army expelled France in 1954, drove out the United States in 1973 and reunified Vietnam in 1975.

—Compiled from short excerpts in "Giap: The Victor in Vietnam"
by Peter Macdonald-Brian, Newsday, 1993.