bait
Language: English
Part of speech: verb
Pronunciation: ipa: /beɪt/
rhymes: -eɪt
homophone: bate
Forms: form: baits
form: baiting
form: baited
form: baited
Etymology: 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”).
Senses: examples: text: to bait a bear with dogs
text: to bait a bull
glosses: To set dogs on (an animal etc.) to bite or worry; to attack with dogs, especially for sport.
examples: text: I remember once before, a mad woman, from about Alnwick, by name baited me with letters and plans — first for charity for herself or some protégé — I gave my guinea— then she wanted to have half the profits of a novel which I was to publish under my name and auspices.
ref: 1826 February 11 (date written), Walter Scott, “[Entry dated 11 February 1826]”, in David Douglas, editor, The Journal of Sir Walter Scott […], volume I, Edinburgh: David Douglas, published 1890, →OCLC:
text: But [US Vice President J.D.] Vance, the champion of diplomacy, shouldn’t have baited a war-weary man fighting for the survival of his country in the first place.
ref: 2025 February 28, Jonah Goldberg, “Dishonor and Incompetence in the Oval Office”, in The Dispatch:
synonyms: word: badger
word: hound
word: badger
word: bait
word: bedevil
word: beleaguer
word: persecute
word: bug
word: beset
word: chevy
word: give someone grief
word: harass
word: harry
word: hound
word: pester
word: pick at
word: plague
word: vex
glosses: To intentionally annoy, torment, or threaten by constant rebukes or threats; to harass.
examples: text: And than they com into a lowe medow that was full of swete floures, and there thes noble knyghtes bayted her horses.
ref: 1470–1485 (date produced), Thomas Malory, “Capitulum ix”, in [Le Morte Darthur], book V, [London: […] by William Caxton], published 31 July 1485, →OCLC; republished as H[einrich] Oskar Sommer, editor, Le Morte Darthur […], London: David Nutt, […], 1889, →OCLC:
text: The Sunne that measures heauen all day long, / At night doth baite his steedes the Ocean waues emong.
ref: 1590, Edmund Spenser, “Book I, Canto I”, in The Faerie Queene. […], London: […] [John Wolfe] for William Ponsonbie, →OCLC, page 12:
text: Before I could move in it, however, I had to wait until we stopped to bait the flagging horses, which we did about noon at the head of the valley.
ref: 1894, Stanley J. Weyman, chapter VI, in Under the Red Robe:
glosses: To feed and water (a horse or other animal), especially during a journey.
examples: text: 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.
ref: 1603, Michel de Montaigne, chapter 22, in John Florio, transl., The Essayes […], book II, London: […] Val[entine] Simmes for Edward Blount […], →OCLC:
text: [H]orses' playful neigh, / From rustic's whips, and plough, and waggon, free, / Baiting in careless freedom o'er the leas, / Or turn'd to knap each other at their ease.
ref: 1821, John Clare, “[Poems.] Sunday Walks.”, in The Village Minstrel, and Other Poems, volume II, London: […] [T. Miller] for Taylor and Hessey, […]; and E[dward] Drury, […], →OCLC, pages 105–106:
glosses: Of a horse or other animal: to take food, especially during a journey.
examples: text: For evil news rides post, while good news baits.
ref: 1671, John Milton, “Samson Agonistes, […].”, in Paradise Regain’d. A Poem. In IV Books. To which is Added, Samson Agonistes, London: […] J[ohn] M[acock] for John Starkey […], →OCLC, page 89, line 539:
text: 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.
ref: 1677 September 23 (Gregorian calendar), John Evelyn, “[Diary entry for 13 September 1677]”, in William Bray, editor, Memoirs, Illustrative of the Life and Writings of John Evelyn, […], 2nd edition, volume II, London: Henry Colburn, […]; and sold by John and Arthur Arch, […], published 1819, →OCLC, part I, page 433:
text: When he [a servant's master] baits at noon, enter the inn gate before him, and call the ostler to hold your master's horse while he alights.
ref: 1731 (date written, published 1745), Jonathan Swift, “[Directions to Servants.] The Duty of Servants at Inns.”, in Thomas Sheridan, John Nichols, editors, The Works of the Rev. Jonathan Swift, […], new edition, volume XVI, London: […] J[oseph] Johnson, […], published 1801, →OCLC, page 174:
text: 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 […]
ref: 1743, Robert Drury, The Pleasant, and Surprizing Adventures of Mr. Robert Drury, during his Fifteen Years Captivity on the Island of Madagascar, London, page 62:
glosses: (of a person) To stop to take a portion of food and drink for refreshment during a journey.