bait

(bāt)
n.

1. 1. Food or other lure placed on a hook or in a trap and used in the taking of fish, birds, or other animals.
   2. Something, such as a worm, used for this purpose.
2. An enticement; a temptation.
3. Archaic. A stop for food or rest during a trip.

v., bait·ed, bait·ing, baits.

v.tr.

1. To place a lure in (a trap) or on (a fishing hook).
2. To entice, especially by trickery or strategy.
3. To set dogs upon (a chained animal, for example) for sport.
4. To attack or torment, especially with persistent insults, criticism, or ridicule.
5. To tease.
6. To feed (an animal), especially on a journey.

v.intr. Archaic
To stop for food or rest during a trip.

[Middle English, from Old Norse beita, food, fodder, fish bait. V., from Old Norse beita, to put animals to pasture, hunt with dogs.]

baiter bait'er n.

USAGE NOTE   The word baited is sometimes incorrectly substituted for the etymologically correct but unfamiliar word bated ("abated; suspended") in the expression bated breath.

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noun

1. Something that attracts, especially with the promise of pleasure or reward: allurement, come-on, enticement, inducement, inveiglement, invitation, lure, seduction, temptation. See like/dislike.
2. Something that leads one into a place or situation from which escape is difficult: lure, snare, trap. See like/dislike, safety/danger.

verb

1. To torment with persistent insult or ridicule: badger, bullyrag, heckle, hector, hound, taunt. Informal needle, ride. Idioms: wave the red flag in front of the bull. See treat well/treat badly/treat.
2. To disturb by repeated attacks: annoy, bedevil, beleaguer, beset, harass, harry, pester, plague, tease, torment, worry. See feelings, pain/pleasure.
3. To excite (another) by exposing something desirable while keeping it out of reach: tantalize, tease. See excite/bore/interest.

Idioms beginning with bait:
bait and switch

In addition to the idiom beginning with bait, also see fish or cut bait; jump at (the bait); rise to the bait.

A cynical view of the world by Ambrose Bierce

n.

A preparation that renders the hook more palatable. The best kind is beauty.

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IN BRIEF: Anything used to tempt or attract a person or animal.

The fish were very interested in the bait on the hook.

Tutor's tip: "Bait" is a lure or enticement, "bate" is an alkaline solution used to remove lime in tanning leathers, while "bet" is the second letter of the Hebrew alphabet.

LearnThatWord.com is a free vocabulary and spelling program where you only pay for results!

As a lure, bait is usually associated with fishing, although in a dream fishing can symbolize anything from fishing for a deal to fishing for a compliment.

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noun
noun

= bate.

Previous:	bail bandit, bagsy, bags I
Next:	bakky, balderdash, ball

a hybrid protein containing the GAL4 DNA-binding domain, used in the yeast two-hybrid system. See bait region.

Previous:	baicalein, bafilomycin A1, baculovirus
Next:	bait region, bakers' yeast, balance

A preparation containing a palatable food substance such as raw meat, carrot or bran and a pharmaceutical or poisonous substance. The purpose is to introduce the medicament or poison into the unsuspecting animal.

For a list of words related to bait, see:

• Fox Hunting - bait: (vb) set dogs on prey
• Fishing Equipment and Tackle - bait: living creatures such as minnows, earthworms, grubs, or grasshoppers attached to hook and used to entice fish into striking
• Expressions of Feeling - bait: tease; torment maliciously
• Strategy and Tactics - bait: (vb) tease or torment with persistent, malicious attacks to generate desired response

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See words rhyming with "bait."

  See crossword solutions for the clue Bait.

This entry is from Wikipedia, the leading user-contributed encyclopedia. It may not have been reviewed by professional editors (see full disclaimer)

Dansk (Danish)
n. - agn, madding, lokkemad
v. tr. - sætte madding på, lægge lokkemad ud, plage, drille
v. intr. - bede, raste

idioms:

• take the bait    bide på krogen

Nederlands (Dutch)
treiteren, sarren, aas, lokkertje, lokken, v. lokaas voorzien, hapje, woede

Français (French)
n. - amorce, appât, (fig) appât, leurre
v. tr. - appâter, tourmenter, taquiner qn, lancer des chiens contre
v. intr. - appâter, brouter, paître

idioms:

• take the bait    mordre à l'hameçon

Deutsch (German)
n. - Köder
v. - quälen, beködern

idioms:

• take the bait    anbeißen

Ελληνική (Greek)
n. - δόλωμα, θέλγητρο
v. - βάζω δόλωμα, δολώνω, παγιδεύω, παρασύρω, τσιγκλίζω, βασανίζω, ταϊζω (υποζύγια κ.λπ.)

idioms:

• take the bait    τσιμπάω το δόλωμα, πέφτω στην παγίδα

Italiano (Italian)
stuzzicare, tormentare, esca, lusinga

idioms:

• fish or cut bait    esca
• rise to/take the bait    abboccare

Português (Portuguese)
n. - isca (f), tentação (f) (fig.), refeição (f) ligeira, pausa (f) (em viagem)
v. - cevar, seduzir, atormentar, alimentar-se, pernoitar em estalagem

idioms:

• rise to/take the bait    morder a isca (fig.)

Русский (Russian)
травить собаками, преследовать, приманивать, искушать, наживка, приманка

idioms:

• fish or cut bait    можешь - делай, не можешь - уходи
• rise to/take the bait    попасться на крючок

Español (Spanish)
n. - cebo, aliciente, carnada, espejuelo, señuelo
v. tr. - poner el cebo, azuzar, hostigar

idioms:

• take the bait    tragar el anzuelo, picar

Svenska (Swedish)
n. - agn, bete
v. - agna, locka, hetsa (med hundar)

中文（简体）(Chinese (Simplified))
饵, 以饵引诱, 欺负, 中途休息

idioms:

• take the bait    吞鱼饵, 上钩

中文（繁體）(Chinese (Traditional))
n. - 餌
v. tr. - 以餌引誘, 欺負
v. intr. - 中途休息

idioms:

• take the bait    吞魚餌, 上鉤

한국어 (Korean)
n. - 미끼, 유혹, 휴식
v. tr. - ~에 미끼를 달다, 을 못살게 하다
v. intr. - 쉬다, 먹이를 먹다

idioms:

• take the bait    미끼를 물다

日本語 (Japanese)
n. - 餌, おとり, 誘惑
v. - …にえさを付ける, 怒らせる, 犬をけしかける, 餌を付ける, 餌でおびき寄せる

العربيه (Arabic)
‏(الاسم) طعم (فعل) يضع طعما‏

עברית (Hebrew)
n. - ‮פיתיון, פיתוי‬
v. tr. - ‮שם פיתיון, הרגיז, הציק‬
v. intr. - ‮הפסיק מסע כדי לנוח (מיושן)‬

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