bait

1 to attack repeatedly with mean put-downs or insults as the first woman to work in the mines, she was mercilessly baited by the men on her shift Synonyms tease, hassle, haze, heckle, needle, ride, tauntRelated 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

2 to lead away from a usual or proper course by offering some pleasure or advantage the investment scheme cunningly baits the greedy and the unscrupulous Synonyms allure, lure, beguile, betray, decoy, entice, lead on, seduce, solicit, temptRelated Words draw in, inveigle, persuade, rope (in), snow; catch, enmesh (also immesh), ensnare, entrap, mesh, snare, tangle, trap; bewitch, captivate, charm, enchant, fascinate, magnetize, wileNear Antonyms alert, caution, forewarn, ward (off), warn; drive (away or off), repulse, turn away