Definitions for bait
beɪtbait

Princeton's WordNetRate this definition:2.5 / 2 votes

1. bait, come-on, hook, lure, sweetenernoun

   anything that serves as an enticement

2. bait, decoy, lureverb

   something used to lure fish or other animals into danger so they can be trapped or killed

3. tease, razz, rag, cod, tantalize, tantalise, bait, taunt, twit, rally, rideverb

   harass with persistent criticism or carping

   "The children teased the new teacher"; "Don't ride me so hard over my failure"; "His fellow workers razzed him when he wore a jacket and tie"

4. baitverb

   lure, entice, or entrap with bait

5. baitverb

   attack with dogs or set dogs upon

Samuel Johnson's DictionaryRate this definition:0.0 / 0 votes

1. Baitnoun

   Etymology: from the verb.

   1. Meat set to allure fish, or other animals, to a snare.

   The pleasant’st angling is to see the fish
   Cut with her golden oars the silver stream,
   And greedily devour the treacherous bait. William Shakespeare, Much ado about Nothing.

   2. A temptation; an enticement.

   And that same glorious beauty’s idle boast,
   Is but a bait such wretches to beguile. Edmund Spenser, sonnet xli.

   Taketh therewith the souls of men, as with certain baits. Richard Hooker, b. v. § 35.

   Sweet words I grant, baits and allurements sweet
   But greatest hopes of greatest crosses meet. Edward Fairfax, b. ii.

   Fruit, like that
   Which grew in paradise, the bait of Eve
   Us’d by the tempter. John Milton, Par. Lost, b. x. l. 551.

   Secure from foolish pride’s affected state,
   And specious flattery’s more pernicious bait. Wentworth Dillon.

   Her head was bare,
   But for her native ornament of hair,
   Which in a simple knot was ty’d above:
   Sweet negligence! unheeded bait of love! John Dryden, Fab.

   Grant that others could with equal glory,
   Look down on pleasures, and the baits of sense. Joseph Addison, Cato.

   3. A refreshment on a journey.

2. To Baitverb

   Etymology: batan, Sax. baitzen, Germ.

   1. To put meat upon a hook, in some place, to tempt fish or other animals.

   Oh, cunning enemy, that to catch a saint,
   With saints dost bait thy hook! most dangerous
   Is that temptation that doth goad us on
   To sin in loving virtue. William Shakespeare, Measure for Measure.

   Let’s be revenged on him; let’s appoint him a meeting, give him a show of comfort in his suit, and lead him on with a sure baited delay, till he hath pawned his horses to mine host of the garter. William Shakespeare, Merry Wives of Windsor.

   Many sorts of fishes feed upon insects, as is well known to anglers, who bait their hooks with them. John Ray.

   How are the sex improv’d in am’rous arts!
   What new-found snares they bait for human hearts! John Gay.

   2. To give meat to one’s self, or horses, on the road.

   What so strong,
   But wanting rest, will also want of might?
   The sun, that measures heaven all day long,
   At night doth bait his steeds the ocean waves among. F. Q.

3. To Baitverb

   To attack with violence; to set dogs upon.

   Etymology: batan, Sax. baitzen, Germ.

   Who seeming sorely chaffed at his band,
   As chained bear, whom cruel dogs do bait,
   With idle force did fain them to withstand. Fairy Queen.

   I will not yield
   To kiss the ground before young Malcolm’s feet;
   And so be baited with the rabble’s curse. William Shakespeare, Macbeth.

4. To Baitverb

   To stop at any place for refreshment; perhaps this word is more properly bate; to abate speed.

   But our desires, tyrannical extorsion
   Doth force us there to set our chief delightfulness,
   Where but a baiting place is all our portion. Philip Sidney.

   As one who on his journey baits at noon,
   Tho’ bent on speed: so here the archangel paus’d. Par. Lost.

   In all our journey from London to his house, we did not so much as bait at a whig inn. Joseph Addison, Spectat. №. 126.

5. To Baitverb

   To clap the wings; to make an offer of flying; to flutter.

   All plum’d like estridges, that with the wind
   Baited like eagles having lately bath’d;
   Glittering in golden coats like images. William Shakespeare, Henry IV.

   Hood my unman’d blood baiting in my cheeks
   With thy black mantle; till strange love, grown bold,
   Thinks true love acted simple modesty. William Shakespeare, Rom. and Jul.

   Another way I have to man my haggard,
   To make her come, and know her keepers call;
   That is, to watch her as we watch these kites,
   That bait and beat, and will not be obedient. William Shakespeare, Taming of the Shrew.

ChatGPTRate this definition:0.0 / 0 votes

1. bait

   Bait is a substance, object, or device used to lure or entice someone or something into doing something or going somewhere, often into a trap or dangerous situation. It is commonly used in fishing or hunting to attract the animal being sought, but can also refer to a tempting offer or incentive used to draw in people.

Webster DictionaryRate this definition:3.0 / 1 vote

1. Baitverb

   any substance, esp. food, used in catching fish, or other animals, by alluring them to a hook, snare, inclosure, or net

2. Baitverb

   anything which allures; a lure; enticement; temptation

3. Baitverb

   a portion of food or drink, as a refreshment taken on a journey; also, a stop for rest and refreshment

4. Baitverb

   a light or hasty luncheon

5. Baitverb

   to provoke and harass; esp., to harass or torment for sport; as, to bait a bear with dogs; to bait a bull

6. Baitverb

   to give a portion of food and drink to, upon the road; as, to bait horses

7. Baitverb

   to furnish or cover with bait, as a trap or hook

8. Baitverb

   to stop to take a portion of food and drink for refreshment of one's self or one's beasts, on a journey

9. Baitverb

   to flap the wings; to flutter as if to fly; or to hover, as a hawk when she stoops to her prey

WikidataRate this definition:0.0 / 0 votes

1. Bait

   Bait is any substance used to attract prey, e.g. in a mousetrap.

Chambers 20th Century DictionaryRate this definition:0.0 / 0 votes

1. Bait

   bāt, n. food put on a hook to allure fish or make them bite: any allurement or temptation: a refreshment taken on a journey, or the time taken up by such.—v.t. to set food as a lure: to give refreshment on a journey: to set dogs on a bear, badger, &c.: to worry, persecute, harass.—v.i. to take refreshment on a journey. [M. E. beyten—Scand. beita, to make to bite, causal of bíta, to bite.]

Dictionary of Nautical TermsRate this definition:0.0 / 0 votes

1. bait

   The natural or artificial charge of a hook, to allure fish.

Suggested ResourcesRate this definition:0.0 / 0 votes

1. BAIT

   What does BAIT stand for? -- Explore the various meanings for the BAIT acronym on the Abbreviations.com website.

Matched Categories

1. • Attack
   • Lure
   • Mock

How to pronounce bait?

1. Alex

   US English

   David

   US English

   Mark

   US English

   Daniel

   British

   Libby

   British

   Mia

   British

   Karen

   Australian

   Hayley

   Australian

   Natasha

   Australian

   Veena

   Indian

   Priya

   Indian

   Neerja

   Indian

   Zira

   US English

   Oliver

   British

   Wendy

   British

   Fred

   US English

   Tessa

   South African

How to say bait in sign language?

Numerology

1. Chaldean Numerology

   The numerical value of bait in Chaldean Numerology is: 8

2. Pythagorean Numerology

   The numerical value of bait in Pythagorean Numerology is: 5

Examples of bait in a Sentence

1. Julie McSorley:

   I saw the big pool of fish, the big bait ball come up out of the water. I saw the whale come up, i thought, Oh no! Its too close.

2. Giancarlo Soto:

   Democratic Socialists of America argue that … the government should own or ‘ socialize ’ private businesses, this invariably leads to societies that look more like Caracas than Copenhagen. Unfortunately, many Americans are being bait-and-switched into supporting the former, thinking it’s the latter.

3. Lori Ulrich:

   It is regrettable that Ms. Williams took the president's bait and went inside the Capitol. However, based on our initial investigation and preparation for today, it is our position that the allegations surrounding the theft of Speaker Pelosi's computer came in part from a former abusive boyfriend, witness one, who is in the affidavit of probable cause, he has threatened Ms. Williams, in a number of ways, including she filed a restraining order against him. He was going to go after her. These accusations are overstated.

4. Democratic Rep. Gregory Meeks:

   It’s not real, this was Donald Trump first time visiting a black church. What you see here is a bait and switch.

5. Michael Carvin:

   IRS pulled a bait and switch.

Popularity rank by frequency of use

References

1. ^ Princeton's WordNet
   http://wordnetweb.princeton.edu/perl/webwn?s=bait
2. ^ Samuel Johnson's Dictionary
   https://johnsonsdictionaryonline.com/views/search.php?term=bait
3. ^ ChatGPT
   https://chat.openai.com
4. ^ Webster Dictionary
   https://www.merriam-webster.com/dictionary/bait
5. ^ Wikidata
   https://www.wikidata.org/w/index.php?search=bait
6. ^ Chambers 20th Century Dictionary
   https://www.gutenberg.org/files/37683/37683-h/37683-h.htm#:~:text=bait
7. ^ Dictionary of Nautical Terms
   https://www.gutenberg.org/cache/epub/26000/pg26000-images.html#:~:text=bait