■ noun
1》 food used to entice fish or other animals as prey.
2》 variant spelling of bate 1 .
■ verb
1》 deliberately annoy or taunt.
2》 allow dogs to attack (a trapped or restrained animal).
3》 put ~ on (a hook) or in (a trap, net, etc.).
Phrases
rise to the ~ react to a provocation or temptation exactly as intended.
Origin
ME: from ON beit 'pasture, food', beita 'to hunt or chase'.