food, or some substitute, used as a lure in fishing, trapping, etc.

a poisoned lure used in exterminating pests.

an allurement; enticement

Employees were lured with the bait of annual bonuses.

an object for pulling molten or liquefied material, as glass, from a vat or the like by adhesion.

South Midland and Southern U.S.

a large or sufficient quantity or amount

He fetched a good bait of wood.

an excessive quantity or amount.

British Slang . food.

to prepare (a hook or trap) with bait.

to entice by deception or trickery so as to entrap or destroy

using fake signal lights to bait the ships onto the rocks.

to attract, tempt, or captivate.

to set dogs upon (an animal) for sport.

to worry, torment, or persecute, esp. with malicious remarks

a nasty habit of baiting defenseless subordinates.

to tease

They love to bait him about his gaudy ties.

to feed and water (a horse or other animal), esp. during a journey.

to stop for food or refreshment during a journey.

(of a horse or other animal) to take food; feed.

noun

allurement , attraction , bribe , come-on * , drag , enticement , inducement , lure , seducement , shill , snare , temptation , trap , come-on , inveiglement , invitation , seduction

verb

allure , attract , bedevil , beguile , draw , entice , fascinate , lead on , seduce , tempt , anger , annoy , badger , bother , gall , harass , heckle , hound , irk , irritate , nag , persecute , provoke , tease , torment , bullyrag , hector , taunt , beleaguer , beset , harry , pester , plague , worry , allurement , attack , bite , bribe , chum , decoy , enticement , exasperate , feed , fulcrum , halt , inducement , lure , temptation , trap