bait
noun
food, or some substitute, used as a lure in fishing, trapping, etc.
was baiting
-
past progressiveof bait.past progressive
Used to describe an ongoing action or continuous state that was happening at a specific time in the past.
Example Sentences
Examples are provided to illustrate real-world usage of words in context. Any opinions expressed do not reflect the views of Dictionary.com.
He was baiting a hook that might particularly appeal to perhaps the most likely swing justice — Lewis F. Powell Jr., a Nixon appointee from Virginia.
From New York Times ● Feb. 15, 2023
At a certain point, I started to assume that Koenig was baiting us with her “this is the system working” framing.
From Slate ● Oct. 18, 2018
Smythe was baiting the Government as he had once baited referees.
From Time Magazine Archive
They saw at once that with almost every word President Cardenas was baiting Secretary Hull.
From Time Magazine Archive
Kind of surprising, isn’t it? 4TH JUROR: Yes. 3RD JUROR: Listen, that business before, you know, where that guy was baiting me.
From "Twelve Angry Men" by Reginald Rose
