bait

[ beyt ]

/ beɪt /

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See synonyms for bait on Thesaurus.com

noun

food, or some substitute, used as a lure in fishing, trapping, etc.

a poisoned lure used in exterminating pests.

an allurement; enticement: Employees were lured with the bait of annual bonuses.

an object for pulling molten or liquefied material, as glass, from a vat or the like by adhesion.

South Midland and Southern U.S.

a large or sufficient quantity or amount: He fetched a good bait of wood.
an excessive quantity or amount.

British Slang. food.

verb (used with object)

to prepare (a hook or trap) with bait.

to entice by deception or trickery so as to entrap or destroy: using fake signal lights to bait the ships onto the rocks.

to attract, tempt, or captivate.

to set dogs upon (an animal) for sport.

to worry, torment, or persecute, especially with malicious remarks: a nasty habit of baiting defenseless subordinates.

to tease: They love to bait him about his gaudy ties.

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

verb (used without object) Archaic.

to stop for food or refreshment during a journey.

(of a horse or other animal) to take food; feed.

SYNONYMS FOR bait

11 badger, heckle, pester.

See synonyms for bait on Thesaurus.com

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Origin of bait

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”; cf. bite, bate³

OTHER WORDS FROM bait

baiter, nouno·ver·bait, verb (used with object)re·bait, verb (used with object)un·bait, verb (used with object)

WORDS THAT MAY BE CONFUSED WITH bait

1. bait , bate2. baited , bated

Dictionary.com Unabridged Based on the Random House Unabridged Dictionary, © Random House, Inc. 2021

Example sentences from the Web for bait

Policing experts said Goodman, 40, used himself as “bait” to lure the rioters away from the Senate chambers.
Lawmakers propose Congressional Gold Medal for Capitol officer who led rioters away|Rebecca Tan|January 14, 2021|Washington Post
In later lab experiments, the researchers observed several brown tree snakes using this lasso-like posture when placed inside an enclosure with a wide pole topped with a dead mouse for bait.
Brown tree snakes use their tails as lassos to climb wide trees|Maria Temming|January 11, 2021|Science News
Commercial heavy-wire “lift traps” for blue crabs also are available, whereby a bait is placed at the bottom in the center, and the trap is lowered in deeper water with a line tied to it at the top.
14 wild edibles you can pull right out of the ocean|By Bob McNally/Field & Stream|October 19, 2020|Popular Science
Shad, menhaden, mullet, and fish heads and viscera from filleting are ideal crab baits.
14 wild edibles you can pull right out of the ocean|By Bob McNally/Field & Stream|October 19, 2020|Popular Science

Such traps sell for $25 to $50 each and can hold considerable bait and crabs.
14 wild edibles you can pull right out of the ocean|By Bob McNally/Field & Stream|October 19, 2020|Popular Science
He is being baited daily to say, definitively, that he is running.
Rand Paul’s Daddy Issues|Olivia Nuzzi|July 28, 2014|DAILY BEAST
Still, this is a pretty cool perspective on the sea life that comes out when we drop in a freshly-baited net.
Man Attaches GoPro Camera to Crab Net, Sees Crabs|Brian Ries|January 6, 2014|DAILY BEAST
As the country waited with baited breath, national media covered the mission to rescue the miners, stuck 240 feet underground.
The Bangladesh Factory Collapse Survivor and More Miraculous Rescues (VIDEO)|Holly Bernal, Ben Teitelbaum|May 10, 2013|DAILY BEAST
She baited the line and stood on the muddy bank in that outfit.
Meghan McCain on Her Grandmother Roberta McCain’s 100th Birthday|Meghan McCain|February 7, 2012|DAILY BEAST
Another soldier was outed by an Evangelical roommate who had baited him into the revelation.
My Life as a Gay Officer|Anonymous|May 26, 2010|DAILY BEAST
Floats, or bobs, were made from bits of wood, and the baited hook was allowed to sink ten or twelve feet.
Gold-Seeking on the Dalton Trail|Arthur R. Thompson
They still seized the throw-bait that was cast out, but not one of them would take a baited hook.
The Rival Campers|Ruel Perley Smith
The recipient fluttered and prinked, and baited another hook; and Ida stole a look at Charley.
Alone|Marion Harland
In these mysterious depths fish are supposed to hide, and a baited hook will be stripped of its bait in a few minutes.
The Red Cow and Her Friends|Peter McArthur
Nasalibut giyud ang kawatan sa gipan-an ug kwarta, They finally caught the thief when they baited him with money.
A Dictionary of Cebuano Visayan|John U. Wolff

British Dictionary definitions for bait (1 of 2)

bait¹

/ (beɪt) /

noun

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

an enticement; temptation

a variant spelling of bate 4

Northern English dialect food, esp a packed lunch

archaic a short stop for refreshment during a journey

verb

(tr) to put a piece of food on or in (a hook or trap)

(tr) to persecute or tease

(tr) to entice; tempt

(tr) to set dogs upon (a bear, etc)

(tr) archaic to feed (a horse), esp during a break in a journey

(intr) archaic to stop for rest and refreshment during a journey

Word Origin for bait

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

usage for bait

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

British Dictionary definitions for bait (2 of 2)

bait²

/ (beɪt) /

verb

a variant spelling of bate 2

Collins English Dictionary - Complete & Unabridged 2012 Digital Edition © William Collins Sons & Co. Ltd. 1979, 1986 © HarperCollins Publishers 1998, 2000, 2003, 2005, 2006, 2007, 2009, 2012

Idioms and Phrases with bait

bait

In addition to the idiom beginning with bait

bait and switch

also see:

fish or cut bait
jump at (the bait)
rise to the bait

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