bait

1 something used to attract animals to a hook or into a trap cheese is the traditional bait for trapping mice Synonyms decoy, lure Related Words ambush, net, trap; hook, snare, troll; plug, scent, spinner, stool pigeon; appeal, attraction, call, draw, incentive, pull; enticement, seducement, seduction, temptation; entanglement, entrapment Near Antonyms repellent (also repellant)

2 something that persuades one to perform an action for pleasure or gain the promise of free vacation is surefire bait to get people to agree to be chaperones for school trips Synonyms allurement, lure, come-on, enticement, siren song, temptation, turn-onRelated Words appeal, call; attraction, boost, encouragement, goad, impetus, impulse, incentive, inducement, motivation, persuasion, seducement, seduction, spur, stimulus; decoy, snare, trap; entrapment, mousetrapNear Antonyms alarm (also alarum), alert, caution, forewarning, notice, warning

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