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n. 1. a. Food or other lure placed on a hook or in a trap and used in the taking of fish, birds, or other animals. b. Something, such as a worm, used for this purpose. 2. An enticement, temptation, or provocation: He did not take the bait by responding to the taunt and getting drawn into an argument. v. bait·ed, bait·ing, baits v.tr. 1. To place a lure in (a trap) or on (a fishing hook). 2. To entice or provoke, especially by trickery or strategy: He baited me into selling him my bike by saying how much I deserved a better one. 3. To set dogs upon (a chained animal, for example) for sport. 4. To taunt or torment (someone), as with persistent insults or ridicule: "He baited him mercilessly and had all sorts of unpleasant names for him" (Ruth Prawer Jhabvala). 5. 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; see bheid- in the Appendix of Indo-European roots.] baiter 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. |
The American Heritage® Dictionary of the English Language, Fifth Edition copyright ©2022 by HarperCollins Publishers. All rights reserved.
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The American Heritage® Dictionary of the English Language, Fifth Edition copyright ©2022 by HarperCollins Publishers. All rights reserved.
