I. ˈbāt verb
( -ed/-ing/-s )
Etymology: Middle English baiten, from Old Norse beita; akin to Old English bǣtan to bait, worry, Old High German beizen; causative from the root of English bite — more at bite
transitive verb
1.
a. : to attack in speech or writing (as by derision or insult) usually with malice : harass (an individual or group) in such a way as to wound the feelings or injure the reputation : persecute : gall or exasperate by repeated wanton attacks
baiting minority groups in a cheap display of prejudice
b. : to nag at : goad in a carping way : hound
his wife constantly baited him for not having more money
c. : to ruffle or rouse usually in a playful good-natured way : tease
she kept baiting him about her other love affairs
2.
a. : to harass (as a chained animal) by setting on dogs to worry and bite usually as a sport
the hunters captured a large bear and baited him
b. : to attack by biting and tearing : worry
the dogs yapped with excitement as they baited the badger
3.
a. : to furnish (as a hook or trap) with bait
they sat along the riverbank, carefully baiting the fish lines
b. : to place poisoned bait on or around (as a field or building) in order to kill pests
he baited the crop for wireworms
also : to provide or distribute bait for the consumption of (a pest)
bait the rats for several days before putting out the poison
c. : to impale (bait) on or as if on a hook
a baited earthworm
d. : to entice by or as if by bait
baiting him by promises of a good job
: lure especially by trickery, duplicity, or strategy
some planes were baited off course by false radio signals
4. now dialect : to give a portion of food and drink to (an animal) especially upon the road : feed
the travelers paused to bait their horses
5. : to feed (a furnace) with fuel
intransitive verb
1. archaic
a. : to stop for food and drink (as when traveling)
b. : to make a brief halt
2. archaic : feed
the horses baited at the edge of the road
Synonyms:
ride , badger , hound , hector , heckle , chivy : all these words indicate persistent harassing or annoying and are frequently interchangeable. bait may still be used in reference to wanton, malicious worrying or tormenting of a chained or tethered animal
baiting the prisoner, terrorizing him — Liam O'Flaherty
Common in politics today, it suggests any malicious or scornful attack, ridicule, calumny, especially one goading a weak or defenseless opponent
baiting these hapless citizens who had the gall to have Japanese parents — G.S.Schuyler
ride in this sense suggests harassing by stringent unfair criticism, derision, or onerous imposition of tasks and charges
the foreman rides him. They transfer him from one job to another — Lawrence Lader
badger suggests bedeviling persistently with tactics calculated to confuse, madden, or enervate completely
the mill foreman so taunted the workers, so badgered them — Sinclair Lewis
she can't sit and think quietly anywhere else without being badgered — Nevil Shute
hound implies persistent dogged pursuit and harassing
how Grandfather was hounded out of his congregation because he couldn't hold her to their standards of behavior for a minister's wife — Mary Austin
hector suggests any sustained domineering especially by bullying or scolding
he will speak in a loud voice, and will hector, because he wishes to prove that he is “somebody” — F.A.Swinnerton
heckle is especially likely to suggest harassing of a speaker or spokesman by disconcerting tactics, although it may be used for other situations in which one is harried
heckling the candidate with constant questions and interruptions
chivy is now applicable to any situation involving persistent petty harassing and vexation
having seen two successive wives of the delicate poet chivied and worried into their graves — Joseph Conrad
II. noun
( -s )
Etymology: Middle English, from Old Norse beit pasturage & beita food, bait; akin to Old High German beiza corrosion, maceration, Middle Low German bēte, Old Norse bīta to bite — more at bite
1.
a. : a lure (as a piece of meat) used to attract fish or other animals (as to hook or trap) so that they can be caught
b. : the specific lure (as worms or an animal decoy) used in catching fish or other animals
c. : a poisonous material distributed where it will be eaten by pests (as rats or insects)
2. : an attraction meant to win to or make compliant with an ulterior and often not immediately evident objective (as an objective that would otherwise be rejected or viewed with apathy) ; also : an enticement that is marked by trickery or duplicity
asking harder work and holding up before them the bait of higher commissions
3. now dialect
a. : food ; especially : a light lunch or snack
b. : refreshment taken during a pause in a journey or during work
4. obsolete : a stopping (as for refreshment) in the course of traveling or other activity
5. slang Britain : a fit of temper : rage
he'd be in an awful bait if he knew
6. chiefly South : an indefinite but adequate amount : plenty
a big bait of pie
a good bait of firewood
7.
a. : a preheated iron used for attaching one end of a gather of molten glass that is to be drawn into a cylindrical shape
b. : a device that is lowered into molten glass to start a drawing operation especially of a sheet
III.
dialect Britain
variant of beet III
IV.
archaic
variant of bate