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| bait [ bayt ] |
noun |
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| Definition: |
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1. food for attracting animals: a piece of food used as a lure in fishing or trapping
  fishing with live bait
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2. enticement: something used to lure a person or animal into being caught
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transitive verb (past and past participle bait·ed, present participle bait·ing, 3rd person present singular baits) |
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| Definition: |
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1. put food on hook: to put a food attractant on a hook or in a trap
This line's baited with a minnow.
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2. harass somebody: to persecute, tease, or harass somebody
Stop baiting the dog, please.
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3. attack animal with dogs: to set dogs onto a chained animal, usually a bear or bull, for sport
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| [13th century. < Old Norse beit "food," beita "hunt with dogs"] |
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| bait·er noun |
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fish or cut bait to do what needs to be done or else step aside and allow somebody else to do it
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rise to the bait to react to something, especially to temptation or provocation, in precisely the way that somebody wants you to, e.g. by getting angry when somebody teases you
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