bait

bait
I. verb Etymology: Middle English, from Old Norse beita; akin to Old English bǣtan to bait, bītan to bite — more at bite Date: 13th century transitive verb 1. a. to persecute or exasperate with unjust, malicious, or persistent attacks b. tease 2. a. to harass (as a chained animal) with dogs usually for sport b. to attack by biting and tearing 3. a. to furnish with bait b. entice, lure 4. to give food and drink to (an animal) especially on the road intransitive verb archaic to stop for food and rest when traveling • baiter noun Synonyms: bait, badger, heckle, hector, chivy, hound mean to harass by efforts to break down. bait implies wanton cruelty or delight in persecuting a helpless victim <
baited the chained dog
>
. badger implies pestering so as to drive a person to confusion or frenzy <
badgered her father for a car
>
. heckle implies persistent annoying or belligerent interruptions of a speaker <
drunks heckled the stand-up comic
>
. hector carries an implication of bullying and domineering <
football players hectored by their coach
>
. chivy suggests persecution by teasing or nagging <
chivied the new student mercilessly
>
. hound implies unrelenting pursuit and harassing <
hounded by creditors
>
. II. noun Etymology: Middle English, from Old Norse beit pasturage & beita food; akin to Old English bītan to bite Date: 14th century 1. a. something (as food) used in luring especially to a hook or trap b. a poisonous material placed where it will be eaten by harmful or objectionable animals 2. lure, temptation

New Collegiate Dictionary. 2001.

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  • Bait — Bait, is a luring substance used, e.g., for angling.Bait may also refer to one of the following:* Animal baiting, using dogs to worry or torment a chained or confined animal.* Bait car, vehicle rigged by the police to catch auto thieves. * Bait… …   Wikipedia

  • Bait — (b[=a]t), v. t. [imp. & p. p. {Baited}; p. pr. & vb. n. {Baiting}.] [OE. baiten, beit[=e]n, to feed, harass, fr. Icel. beita, orig., to cause to bite, fr. b[=i]ta. [root]87. See {Bite}.] [1913 Webster] 1. To provoke and harass; esp., to harass or …   The Collaborative International Dictionary of English

  • bait — BAIT, baiţi, s.m. (inform.) Ansamblu de biţi (de obicei 8) folosit pentru examinarea capacităţii de memorie (3). – Din engl. byte. Trimis de paula, 13.09.2007. Sursa: DEX 98  bait s. m. (sil. bait), pl. baiţi Trimis de siveco, 10.08.2004. Sursa …   Dicționar Român

  • bait — vb Bait, badger, heckle, hector, chivy, hound, ride mean to persist in tormenting or harassing another. Bait derives its implications from its basic reference to the action of dogs set on to bite and worry an animal (as a chained bear, boar, or… …   New Dictionary of Synonyms

  • Bait — (b[=a]t), n. [Icel. beita food, beit pasture, akin to AS. b[=a]t food, Sw. bete. See {Bait}, v. t.] 1. Any substance, esp. food, used in catching fish, or other animals, by alluring them to a hook, snare, inclosure, or net. [1913 Webster] 2.… …   The Collaborative International Dictionary of English

  • baiţ — BAIŢ, baiţuri, s.n. Colorant folosit în tâmplărie, în industria textilă, în tăbăcărie etc. – Din germ. Beize. Trimis de paula, 09.03.2002. Sursa: DEX 98  baiţ s. n., pl. báiţuri Trimis de siveco, 10.08.2004. Sursa: Dicţionar ortografic  BAIŢ… …   Dicționar Român

  • bait — bait; bait·tle; cad·bait; pre·bait; …   English syllables

  • bait — ► NOUN ▪ food put on a hook or in a trap to entice fish or other animals. ► VERB 1) taunt or tease. 2) set dogs on (a trapped or restrained animal). 3) put bait on or in. ● rise to the bait Cf. ↑rise to the bait …   English terms dictionary

  • bait — [bāt] vt. [ME baiten < ON beita < Gmc * baitian, caus. of * bitan: for base see BITE] 1. a) to set attacking dogs against [people formerly baited chained bears for sport] b) to attack as such dogs do 2. to torment or harass with unprovoked …   English World dictionary

  • Bait — (b[=a]t), v. i. [F. battre de l aile (or des ailes), to flap or flutter. See {Batter}, v. t.] To flap the wings; to flutter as if to fly; or to hover, as a hawk when she stoops to her prey. Kites that bait and beat. Shak. [1913 Webster] …   The Collaborative International Dictionary of English

  • bait — [n] something for luring allurement, attraction, bribe, come on*, drag, enticement, inducement, lure, seducement, shill, snare, temptation, trap; concept 709 bait [v1] lure allure, attract, bedevil, beguile, draw, entice, fascinate, lead on,… …   New thesaurus

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