• IPA: /beɪt/

bait

1. Any substance, especially food, used in catching fish, or other animals, by alluring them to a hook, snare, trap, or net.
2. Food containing poison or a harmful additive to kill animals that are pests.
3. Anything which allures; something used to lure or entice someone or something into doing something
4. A portion of food or drink, as a refreshment taken on a journey; also, a stop for rest and refreshment.
   • 1818, Jane Austen, Northanger Abbey, chapter 20 page 70

     The tediousness of a two hours' bait at Petty-France, in which there was nothing to be done but to eat without being hungry, and loiter about without any thing to see, next followed[…]

   1. (Geordie) A packed lunch.
   2. (East Anglia) A small meal taken mid-morning while farming.
   3. (Northern England) A miner's packed meal.
   4. A light or hasty luncheon.

• French: appât
• German: Köder
• Italian: esca
• Portuguese: isca
• Russian: нажи́вка
• Spanish: carnada, cebo

• French: appât
• Russian: прима́нка

• French: leurre
• German: Köder, Lockmittel
• Italian: esca
• Portuguese: isca, engodo
• Russian: прима́нка
• Spanish: anzuelo, carnada

bait (baits, present participle baiting; past and past participle baited)

1. (transitive) To attract with bait; to entice.
2. (transitive) To affix bait to a trap or a fishing hook or fishing line.

   • a crooked pin […] baited with a vile earthworm

• French: appâter
• German: ködern, anlocken
• Italian: adescare
• Portuguese: iscar, engodar, cevar
• Spanish: cebar

• Italian: abboccare
• Portuguese: iscar

bait (baits, present participle baiting; past and past participle baited)

1. (transitive) To set dogs on (an animal etc.) to bite or worry; to attack with dogs, especially for sport.

   to bait a bear with dogs;  to bait a bull

2. (transitive) To intentionally annoy, torment, or threaten by constant rebukes or threats; to harass.
3. (transitive, now rare) To feed and water (a horse or other animal), especially during a journey.
   • a. 1472, Thomas Malory, “Capitulum ix”, in [Le Morte Darthur], (please specify the book number), [London: […] by William Caxton], published 31 July 1485, OCLC 71490786 ↗; republished as H[einrich] Oskar Sommer, editor, Le Morte Darthur […], London: Published by David Nutt, […], 1889, OCLC 890162034 ↗:

     And than they com into a lowe medow that was full of swete floures, and there thes noble knyghtes bayted her horses.

     (please add an English translation of this quote)

   • 1590, Edmund Spenser, The Faerie Queene, London: William Ponsonbie, Book 1, Canto 1, p. 12,

     The Sunne that measures heauen all day long,

     At night doth baite his steedes the Ocean waues emong.

4. (intransitive) (of a horse or other animal) To take food, especially during a journey.
   • 1603, Michel de Montaigne, chapter 22, in John Florio, transl., The Essayes, […], book II, printed at London: By Val[entine] Simmes for Edward Blount […], OCLC 946730821 ↗:

     King Cyrus, that he might more speedily receave news from al parts of his Empire (which was of exceeding great length), would needs have it tried how far a horse could in a day goe outright without baiting, at which distance he caused stations to be set up, and men to have fresh horses ready for al such as came to him.

5. (intransitive) (of a person) To stop to take a portion of food and drink for refreshment during a journey.
   • 1671, John Milton, Samson Agonistes, in Paradise Regain’d, to which is added Samson Agonistes, London: John Starkey, p. 89, line 539,

     For evil news rides post, while good news baits.

   • 1677, John Evelyn, Diary entry for 13 September, 1677, in Memoirs of John Evelyn, London: Henry Colburn, 1827, Volume 2, p. 433,

     My Lord’s coach convey’d me to Bury, and thence baiting at Newmarket, stepping in at Audley End to see that house againe, I slept at Bishops Strotford, and the next day home.

   • 1743, Robert Drury (sailor), The Pleasant, and Surprizing Adventures of Mr. Robert Drury, during his Fifteen Years Captivity on the Island of Madagascar, London, p. 62,

     At Break of Day we arose, and after a short Repast march’d on till Noon, when we baited among some shady Trees near a Pond of Water […]

bait (baits, present participle baiting; past and past participle baited)

1. (obsolete, intransitive) To flap the wings; to flutter as if to fly; or to hover, as a hawk when she stoops to her prey.
   • RQ

bait

1. (MLE) Obvious; blatant.
2. (MLE) Well-known; famous; renowned.

• (obvious) See also Thesaurus:obvious
• (well-known) See also Thesaurus:famous