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

A “rent due” tweet has become an axiom explaining the constant lewd shock-and-outrage bait that floods most of the timeline.

From Slate

“Some people are taking the bait and are playing right into the hands of management. But the guild is not on strike over scented products, I can tell you that.”

From Slate

When it comes to political bait, it was the tastiest sort: a cheeky ad run by Vote Common Good, and voiced by Julia Roberts, reminding women that they don't have to tell their husbands if they vote for Vice President Kamala Harris.

From Salon

She cautioned against taking the bait.

From Los Angeles Times

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

From Salon

Related Words

• harass
• irk
• tease
• torment