bait

[ beyt ]

noun

1. food, or some substitute, used as a lure in fishing, trapping, etc.
2. a poisoned lure used in exterminating pests.
3. an allurement; enticement:

   Employees were lured with the bait of annual bonuses.

4. an object for pulling molten or liquefied material, as glass, from a vat or the like by adhesion.
5. South Midland and Southern U.S.
   1. a large or sufficient quantity or amount:

      He fetched a good bait of wood.

   2. an excessive quantity or amount.
6. British Slang. food.

verb (used with object)

1. to prepare (a hook or trap) with bait.
2. to entice by deception or trickery so as to entrap or destroy:

   using fake signal lights to bait the ships onto the rocks.

3. to attract, tempt, or captivate.
4. to set dogs upon (an animal) for sport.
5. to worry, torment, or persecute, especially with malicious remarks:

   a nasty habit of baiting defenseless subordinates.

   Synonyms: pester, heckle, badger

6. to tease:

   They love to bait him about his gaudy ties.

7. to feed and water (a horse or other animal), especially during a journey.

verb (used without object)

, Archaic.

1. to stop for food or refreshment during a journey.
2. (of a horse or other animal) to take food; feed.

bait

¹

/ beɪt /

verb

1. a variant spelling of bate 2

bait

²

/ beɪt /

noun

1. something edible, such as soft bread paste, worms, or pieces of meat, fixed to a hook or in a trap to attract fish or animals
2. an enticement; temptation
3. a variant spelling of bate 4
4. dialect.
   food, esp a packed lunch
5. archaic.
   a short stop for refreshment during a journey

verb

1. tr to put a piece of food on or in (a hook or trap)
2. tr to persecute or tease
3. tr to entice; tempt
4. tr to set dogs upon (a bear, etc)
5. archaic.
   tr to feed (a horse), esp during a break in a journey
6. archaic.
   intr to stop for rest and refreshment during a journey

Usage

The phrase with bated breath is sometimes wrongly spelled with baited breath

Other Words From

• baiter noun
• over·bait verb (used with object)
• re·bait verb (used with object)
• un·bait verb (used with object)

Word History and Origins

Origin of bait¹

First recorded in 1150–1200; Middle English bait, beit (noun), baiten (verb), from Old Norse, probably reflecting both beita “to pasture, hunt, chase with dogs or hawks” (ultimately causative of bíta “to bite”) and beita “fish bait”; bite, bate ³

Word History and Origins

Origin of bait¹

C13: from Old Norse beita to hunt, persecute; related to Old English bǣtan to restrain, hunt, Old High German beizen

Idioms and Phrases

In addition to the idiom beginning with bait , also see fish or cut bait ; jump at (the bait) ; rise to the bait .

Example Sentences

Still, a part of me thought he might have finally learned his lesson and would stop taking my bait.

From Salon

"The fact that you've got that complete 360-degree movement, is going to give players a huge opportunity to shoulder opponents, kind of bait people in and create some incredible plays," he says.

From BBC

Sometimes, it is suggested, they get word the police are coming and give them “bait” - meaning supplies are confiscated but seemingly not enough to seriously disrupt the operation.

From BBC

"I had five tanks under there where I stored shrimp, because we sell everything alive, but all that's all gone now," said Madison, a commercial bait and shrimp farmer for the last 23 years.

From Salon

The bait has now been placed inside the traps.

From BBC

Related Words

• harass
• irk
• tease
• torment