Meaning of bait In English

• 0 a small amount of food on a hook (= curved piece of wire) or in a special device used to attract and catch a fish or animal:

  • They were digging up worms to use for bait.

  • We put down some poisoned bait to kill the rats.

• 1 something that is said or offered to people in order to make them react in a particular way:

  • Free holidays were offered as (a) bait to customers.

  • I told my sister I'd lend her my new shirt if she let me borrow her jacket, but she didn't take the bait.

• 2 to intentionally make a person angry by saying or doing things to annoy them:

  • Ignore him - he's just baiting you.

  • I suspect he was just baiting me.

• 3 to make dogs attack an animal for cruel entertainment:

  • In the past, bear-baiting was a common form of entertainment in the UK .

• 4 to put food on a hook (= curved piece of wire) or in a special device to attract and catch a fish or animal:

  • Do you have any stale cheese that I can bait the mousetrap with?

• 5 a small amount of food used to attract and catch a fish or animal:

  • The fishermen bought some worms to use as bait.

  • Lawyers making the investment offering will find out today whether someone is ready to take the bait.

• 6 put bait on a hook or in a trap:

  • You can bait the mousetrap with a piece of cheese.

• 7 to intentionally make someone angry by saying or doing annoying things:

  • She enjoys baiting her brother by teasing him about his girlfriend.