bait

1 of 2

verb

ˈbāt 

baited; baiting; baits

transitive verb

1

a

: to persecute or exasperate with unjust, malicious, or persistent attacks

bait minority groups

: to try to make angry with criticism or insults

baiting a politician during a debate

b

: tease

2

a

: to harass (a chained animal, such as a bear) with dogs usually for sport

b

: to attack by biting and tearing

dogs baiting a fox

3

a

: to furnish with bait (see bait entry 2)

bait a fishing line

bait a trap

b

: entice, lure

baiting prospective buyers

4

: to give food and drink to (an animal) especially on the road

intransitive verb

archaic : to stop for food and rest when traveling

baiter noun

bait

2 of 2

noun

1

a

: something (such as food) used in luring especially to a hook or trap

using worms for bait

b

: a poisonous material placed where it will be eaten by harmful or objectionable animals

2

: lure, temptation

using bargains as bait for shoppers

Synonyms

Verb

• hassle
• haze
• heckle
• needle
• ride
• taunt
• tease

Noun

• decoy
• lure

Choose the Right Synonym for bait

bait, badger, heckle, hector, chivy, hound mean to harass by efforts to break down.

bait implies wanton cruelty or delight in persecuting a helpless victim.

baited the chained dog

badger implies pestering so as to drive a person to confusion or frenzy.

badgered her father for a car

heckle implies persistent annoying or belligerent interruptions of a speaker.

drunks heckled the stand-up comic

hector carries an implication of bullying and domineering.

football players hectored by their coach

chivy suggests persecution by teasing or nagging.

chivied the new student mercilessly

hound implies unrelenting pursuit and harassing.

hounded by creditors

Examples of bait in a Sentence

Verb

baiting hooks with live worms

The interviewer kept baiting the politician by asking him whether he was lying.

Noun

cheese used for bait in mousetraps

Wait until the fish takes the bait.

a wide selection of lures and baits

Recent Examples on the Web

Verb

Refuse to let someone bait you into a conversation prematurely. —Eugenia Last, The Mercury News, 17 Apr. 2024

The phenomenon has also caused some observers to speculate that the pages are baiting gullible users to identify potential scam targets. —Angela Yang, NBC News, 19 Mar. 2024

Was the future Hall of Fame coach right about players baiting officials? —Aaron Ontiveroz, The Denver Post, 4 Jan. 2024

In body-camera video posted by Irving police on Facebook, cars are seen stopped on the highway as the officer tries to bait the goat, seen hiding under a trailer truck. —Nicole Lopez, Fort Worth Star-Telegram, 3 Apr. 2024

In addition to the coyote baiting and hounding ban, Vermont Senate Bill 258 would dismantle and restructure the board with members from varied backgrounds through a new selection process. —Katie Hill, Outdoor Life, 20 Mar. 2024

The best weapon against Bluto Ball is to keep your head, box out, avoid getting baited and let The Undertaker methodically brick himself into an early grave. —Sean Keeler, The Denver Post, 31 Jan. 2024

Refuse to let anyone bait you into an argument or pressure you to condone changes that aren’t in your best interest. —Eugenia Last, The Mercury News, 7 Mar. 2024

The fish struck a size 8 hook baited with a worm—the simplest and most effective bait in the history of fishing. —Sage Marshall, Field & Stream, 14 Feb. 2024

Noun

The most popular possibility among those teams is Minnesota, which holds two first-round picks — Nos. 11 and 23 — to dangle as bait. —Jeff Miller, Los Angeles Times, 18 Apr. 2024

Small bait fish, especially at night, would start spinning in tight circles in the water, seemingly in distress. —Patricia Mazzei, New York Times, 15 Apr. 2024

The fish don't take the bait and start to bite the octopus. —Kelli Bender, Peoplemag, 11 Apr. 2024

Photograph: Chris Parkes The prototype bait station uses a vaporizer to churn out an attractant that Asian hornets find irresistible. —Frankie Adkins, WIRED, 10 Apr. 2024

Stepping down to medium power helps cast smaller popper-style lures and prop baits as well. —Max Inchausti, Field & Stream, 28 Mar. 2024

Facebook Show more sharing options A new cafe, bait shop and restaurant. —Emily Alvarenga, San Diego Union-Tribune, 7 Apr. 2024

California’s wealthiest farm family — and scores of their workers — accused UFW of bait and trick. —Defne Karabatur, Los Angeles Times, 6 Apr. 2024

Tackle and Baits Bass fishing lures and baits can be extremely overwhelming to beginners. —Shaye Baker, Field & Stream, 3 Apr. 2024

Word History

Etymology

Verb

Middle English, from Old Norse beita; akin to Old English bǣtan to bait, bītan to bite — more at bite

Noun

Middle English, from Old Norse beit pasturage & beita food; akin to Old English bītan to bite

First Known Use

Verb

13th century, in the meaning defined at transitive sense 1a

Noun

14th century, in the meaning defined at sense 1a

Phrases Containing bait

• bait and switch
• fish or cut bait
• red-bait

Kids Definition

bait

1 of 2 verb

ˈbāt 

1

: to torment by repeated attacks

2

: to torment (an animal) with dogs

3

: to put bait on or in

bait a hook

baiter noun

bait

2 of 2 noun

1

: something (as food) used to attract animals to a hook or into a trap

2

: a poisonous material put where it will be eaten by and kill harmful or undesirable animals

3

: lure sense 1, temptation

Etymology

Verb

Middle English baiten "to tease, torment," from an early Norse word originally meaning "to cause to bite"

Noun

Middle English bait "a lure," from two early Norse words, one meaning "pasture" and the other meaning "food"