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Verb

bait (third-person singular simple present baits, present participle baiting, simple past and past participle baited)

1. (transitive) To attract with bait; to entice.
2. (transitive) To affix bait to a trap or a fishing hook or fishing line.

Etymology 2

From Middle English bayten, baiten, beiten, from Old Norse beita (�to bait, cause to bite, feed, hunt�), from Proto-Germanic *baitijan? (�to cause to bite, bridle�), from Proto-Indo-European *b?eyd- (�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 b?tan (�to bait, hunt, bridle, bit�).

Verb

bait (third-person singular simple present baits, present participle baiting, simple past and past participle baited)

1. (transitive) To set dogs on (an animal etc.) to bite or worry; to attack with dogs, especially for sport.
2. (transitive) To intentionally annoy, torment, or threaten by constant rebukes or threats; to harass.
3. (transitive, now rare) To feed and water (a horse or other animal), especially during a journey.
4. (intransitive) (of a horse or other animal) To take food, especially during a journey.
5. (intransitive) (of a person) To stop to take a portion of food and drink for refreshment during a journey.

Etymology 3

French battre de l'aile or des ailes, to flap or flutter.

Verb

bait (third-person singular simple present baits, present participle baiting, simple past and past participle baited)

1. (obsolete, intransitive) To flap the wings; to flutter as if to fly; or to hover, as a hawk when she stoops to her prey.

Etymology 4

Etymology unknown.

Adjective

bait (comparative more bait, superlative most bait)

1. (MLE) Obvious; blatant.
2. (MLE) Well-known; famous; renowned.