Dictionary Definition
bait
Noun
Verb
1 harass with persistent criticism or carping;
"The children teased the new teacher"; "Don't ride me so hard over
my failure"; "His fellow workers razzed him when he wore a jacket
and tie" [syn: tease,
razz, rag, cod, tantalize, tantalise, taunt, twit, rally, ride]
2 lure, entice, or entrap with bait
3 attack with dogs or set dogs upon
User Contributed Dictionary
English
Etymology
From beita.Pronunciation
- /beɪt/
- Rhymes with: -eɪt
Noun
- Any substance, especially food, used in catching fish, or other animals, by alluring them to a hook, snare, trap, or net.
- Food containing poison or a harmful additive to kill animals that are pests.
- Anything which allures; a lure; enticement; temptation.
- A portion of food or drink, as a refreshment taken on a journey; also, a stop for rest and refreshment.
- A light or hasty luncheon.
Usage notes
Used in Geordie dialect of English to denote your lunch at work as opposed to other meals.Translations
substance used in catching fish
- Chinese: 誘餌, 诱饵
- Czech: návnada
- Dutch: aas, lokaas
- French: appât
- German: Köder
- Italian: esca
- Japanese: 餌
- Jèrriais:
- Korean: 미끼, 먹이
- Portuguese: isca
- Spanish: carnada, cebo
anything which allures
- Czech: návnada
- German: Köder, Lockmittel
- Italian: esca
- Spanish: anzuelo, carnada
Derived terms
References
Dobson & Irwin Newcastle 1970}}Verb
Usage notes
Not to be confused with bate, particularly in the expression "with baited breath": this means your breath smells of fish, when you meant to say you were holding your breath.Translations
to attract fish or other animals in order to
catch them
- Dutch:
Extensive Definition
Bait has several different meanings:
- Bait (dogs) - using dogs to worry or torment a chained or confined animal
- Bait (luring substance) - eg. for angling.
- Bait (poison) - Food containing poison or a harmful additive to kill animals that are pests.
- Bait car - vehicle rigged by the police to catch auto thieves
- Bait and switch - a form of fraud
- The Bait - A television crime thriller movie
- Bait (film) - 2000 film starring Jamie Foxx
- Bait (2002 film) - 2002 TV film
See also
bait in French: appât
Synonyms, Antonyms and Related Words
aggravate, allure, allurement, annoy, badger, bait the hook, baited
trap, be at, bedevil,
beset, birdlime, bite, blandish, bola, bother, bribe, bristle, brown off, bug, bullyrag, burn up, cajole, carrot, charm, chivy, coax, cobweb, come-on, decoy, decoy duck, devil, discompose, distemper, disturb, dog, dragnet, draw, draw in, draw on, drawcard, drawing card,
encouragement,
endearment, ensnare, entice, enticement, entrap, exasperate, exercise, fash, fillip, fishhook, flirt, flirt with, fly, get, gill net, give the come-on,
gripe, ground bait,
harass, harry, haze, heckle, hector, hook, hound, incentive, incitement, inducement, interest, inveigh, inveigle, inveiglement, invitation, irk, jig, lariat, lasso, lead on, lime, lure, meshes, miff, molest, morsel, nag, needle, net, nettle, noose, nudzh, offer bait to, payment, peeve, percentage, persecute, persuasive, pester, pick on, piece, pique, plague, pluck the beard, plug, pother, pound net, profit, provocation, provoke, purse seine, push
around, rag, reward, ride, rile, roil, rope in, ruffle, seduce, seducement, seine, snare, sniggle, spinner, springe, squid, stimulation, stimulative, stimulus, suck in, sweetener, sweetening, tease, tempt, temptation, toils, toll, torment, trap, trawl, try the patience, tweak the
nose, vex, whet, wobbler, woo, worry