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. See bate
   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. See bate
   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

Realizing he could do the same on a large scale, he found a farmer who was breeding insects for fish bait, and recruited him to help launch Ÿnsect.

From Fortune

There are the seafood buffets and bait shops, which give way to newfangled Starbucks.

From Eater

Jumping worms are often sold as compost worms or fishing bait.

From Science News

For a sub-30 percent shooter from three, he’s taken the bait too often.

From FiveThirtyEight

Such baits would be especially helpful if they attract other types of locusts, too, like the desert species.

From Science News For Students

I hope that there is a trend away from the kind of “click-bait” type of essay that you often see on the Internet.

From The Daily Beast

The gang does bait two officers with Noah, but another car comes tearing in and whisks them both away.

From The Daily Beast

The shift in language and content is click-bait for the enterprising eBay-er.

From The Daily Beast

In November, Maine voters will vote on whether to ban using dogs, traps, and bait to hunt black bears in the Pine Tree State.

From The Daily Beast

Take, for example, these two Great Whites fighting over bait.

From The Daily Beast

The moment the bait was touched, down would come the heavy timber—smash—on the tiger's head.

From Project Gutenberg

But what if I catch the fish by using a hired boat and a hired net, or by buying worms as bait from some one who has dug them?

From Project Gutenberg

He rushed with ravenous eagerness at every bait which was offered to his cupidity.

From Project Gutenberg

I threw out a bait to see if you would snap at it, but I find you timid, and therefore advise you to drop the matter entirely.'

From Project Gutenberg

So it ran along and nibbled the bait until its sharp teeth cut the cord.

From Project Gutenberg

Related Words

• harass
• irk
• tease
• torment