bait

¹bait

verb \ˈbāt\

Definition of BAIT

transitive verb

1

a : to persecute or exasperate with unjust, malicious, or persistent attacks b : tease

2

a : to harass (as a chained animal) with dogs usually for sport b : to attack by biting and tearing

3

a : to furnish with bait b : entice, lure

4

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

intransitive verb

archaic : to stop for food and rest when traveling

— bait·er noun

Examples of BAIT

1. baiting hooks with live worms
2. The interviewer kept baiting the politician by asking him whether he was lying.

Origin of BAIT

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

First Known Use: 13th century

Related to BAIT

Synonyms: tease, hassle, haze, heckle, needle, ride, taunt

Related Words: deride, gibe (or jibe), jeer, mock, ridicule; annoy, bother, bug, burn (up), chafe, fret, frost, gall, get, gnaw (at), grate, gripe, hack (off), hagride, irk, irritate, itch, nag, nark [British], nettle, peeve, pester, pique, put out, rasp, rile, ruffle, spite, trouble, vex; aggravate, exasperate, goad, test, try; aggrieve, agitate, bedevil, beleaguer, discomfort, disturb, perturb; badger, dog, hound; browbeat, bully, hector; harass, harry, persecute, plague, terrorize, torment, torture

Near Antonyms: alert, caution, forewarn, ward (off), warn; drive (away or off), repulse, turn away

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Synonym Discussion of 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>.

Rhymes with BAIT

ait, bate, blate, cate, crate, date, eight, fate, fete, freight, gait, gate, grate, great, haet, hate, late, mate, pate, plait, plate, prate, quoit, rate, sate, skate, slate, spate, state, straight, strait, teth, trait, wait, weight