bait
English
Pronunciation
Audio (US) (file) - IPA(key): /beɪt/
- Rhymes: -eɪt
Etymology 1
From Middle English bayte, bait, beite, from Old Norse beita (“food, bait”), from Proto-Germanic *baitō (“that which is bitten, bait”), from Proto-Indo-European *bʰeyd- (“to cleave, split, separate”). Cognate with German Beize (“mordant, corrosive fluid; marinade; hunting”), Old English bāt (“that which can be bitten, food, bait”). Related to bite.
Noun
bait (countable and uncountable, plural baits)
- 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; something used to lure or entice someone or something into doing something
- 2017 June 7, Adam Lusher, “Adnan Khashoggi: the 'whoremonger' whose arms deals funded a playboy life of decadence and 'pleasure wives'”, in The Independent, London:
- One of the “girls” used in this way, Pamella Bordes, later spoke of being “part of an enormous group … used as sexual bait.”
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- A portion of food or drink, as a refreshment taken on a journey; also, a stop for rest and refreshment.
- 1818, Jane Austen, Northanger Abbey, chapter 20 page 70
- The tediousness of a two hours' bait at Petty-France, in which there was nothing to be done but to eat without being hungry, and loiter about without any thing to see, next followed[…]
- (Geordie) A packed lunch
- (East Anglia) A small meal taken mid-morning while farming
- (Northern England) A miner's packed meal.
- 1818, Jane Austen, Northanger Abbey, chapter 20 page 70
- A light or hasty luncheon.
Derived terms
Translations
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References
- Newcastle 1970s, Scott Dobson and Dick Irwin,
- The New Geordie Dictionary, Frank Graham, 1987, →ISBN
- Northumberland Words, English Dialect Society, R. Oliver Heslop, 1893–4
- Todd's Geordie Words and Phrases, George Todd, Newcastle, 1977
- A Dictionary of North East Dialect, Bill Griffiths, 2005, Northumbria University Press, →ISBN
Verb
bait (third-person singular simple present baits, present participle baiting, simple past and past participle baited)
- (transitive) To attract with bait; to entice.
- (transitive) To affix bait to a trap or a fishing hook or fishing line.
- Washington Irving
- a crooked pin […] bailed with a vile earthworm
- Washington Irving
Translations
Usage notes
- This verb is sometimes confused in writing with the rare verb bate, which is pronounced identically; in particular, the expression with bated breath is frequently misspelled *with baited breath by writers unfamiliar with the verb bate.
Etymology 2
From Middle English bayten, baiten, beiten, from Old Norse beita (“to bait, cause to bite, feed, hunt”), from Proto-Germanic *baitijaną (“to cause to bite, bridle”), from Proto-Indo-European *bʰeyd- (“to cleave, split, separate”). Cognate with Icelandic beita (“to bait”), Swedish beta (“to bait, pasture, graze”), German beizen (“to cause to bite, bait”), Old English bǣtan (“to bait, hunt, bridle, bit”).
Verb
bait (third-person singular simple present baits, present participle baiting, simple past and past participle baited)
- (transitive) To set dogs on (an animal etc.) to bite or worry; to attack with dogs, especially for sport.
- to bait a bear with dogs; to bait a bull
- (transitive) To intentionally annoy, torment, or threaten by constant rebukes or threats; to harass.
- (transitive, now rare) To feed and water (a horse or other animal), especially during a journey.
- 1485 July 31, Thomas Malory, “(please specify the chapter)”, in [Le Morte Darthur], (please specify the book number), [London]: […] [by William Caxton], OCLC 71490786; republished as H[einrich] Oskar Sommer, editor, Le Morte Darthur […], London: Published by David Nutt, […], 1889, OCLC 890162034:, Bk.V, Ch.ix:
- And than they com into a lowe medow that was full of swete floures, and there thes noble knyghtes bayted her horses.
- 1590, Edmund Spenser, The Faerie Queene, London: William Ponsonbie, Book 1, Canto 1, p. 12,
- The Sunne that measures heauen all day long,
- At night doth baite his steedes the Ocean waues emong.
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- (intransitive) (of a horse or other animal) To take food, especially during a journey.
- 1603, John Florio, transl.; Michel de Montaigne, chapter 22, in The Essayes, […], book II, printed at London: By Val[entine] Simmes for Edward Blount […], OCLC 946730821:
- King Cyrus, that he might more speedily receave news from al parts of his Empire (which was of exceeding great length), would needs have it tried how far a horse could in a day goe outright without baiting, at which distance he caused stations to be set up, and men to have fresh horses ready for al such as came to him.
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- (intransitive) (of a person) To stop to take a portion of food and drink for refreshment during a journey.
- 1671, John Milton, Samson Agonistes, in Paradise Regain’d, to which is added Samson Agonistes, London: John Starkey, p. 89, line 539,
- For evil news rides post, while good news baits.
- 1677, John Evelyn, Diary entry for 13 September, 1677, in Memoirs of John Evelyn, London: Henry Colburn, 1827, Volume 2, p. 433,
- My Lord’s coach convey’d me to Bury, and thence baiting at Newmarket, stepping in at Audley End to see that house againe, I slept at Bishops Strotford, and the next day home.
- 1743, Robert Drury, The Pleasant, and Surprizing Adventures of Mr. Robert Drury, during his Fifteen Years Captivity on the Island of Madagascar, London, p. 62,
- At Break of Day we arose, and after a short Repast march’d on till Noon, when we baited among some shady Trees near a Pond of Water […]
- 1671, John Milton, Samson Agonistes, in Paradise Regain’d, to which is added Samson Agonistes, London: John Starkey, p. 89, line 539,
Etymology 3
French battre de l'aile or des ailes, to flap or flutter.
Verb
bait (third-person singular simple present baits, present participle baiting, simple past and past participle baited)
Etymology 4
Etymology unknown.
Adjective
bait (comparative more bait, superlative most bait)
- (MLE) Obvious; blatant.
- 2008, “Power”, in Famous?, performed by Jamie "Jme" Adenuga and Tim Westwood:
- I've been at home all day / Cloning £50 notes, this is sick / But it's a bit bait / Cause all the serial numbers are the same / So I can't spend them in the same place
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- (MLE) Well-known; famous; renowned.
- 2017, “Bait Face”, in Godfather, performed by Richard "Wiley" Cowie and Ryan "Scratchy" Williams:
- My face is bait, I can't hide it
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Synonyms
- (obvious): See also Thesaurus:obvious
- (well-known): See also Thesaurus:famous
Lashi
Malay
Pronunciation
- (Johor-Selangor) IPA(key): /baet/
- (Riau-Lingga) IPA(key): /baɪt/
- Rhymes: -aet, -et
Etymology 1
From Arabic بَيْت (bayt), from Proto-Semitic *bayt-.
Middle English
Welsh
Alternative forms
Synonyms
- byddit
- byddet