bait 1 (b?t)n.1. a. Food or other lure placed on a hook or in a trap and used in the taking of fish, birds, or other animals.b. Something, such as a worm, used for this purpose.2. An enticement, temptation, or provocation: He did not take the bait by responding to the taunt and getting drawn into an argument.v. bait·ed, bait·ing, baits v.tr.1. To place a lure in (a trap) or on (a fishing hook).2. To entice or provoke, especially by trickery or strategy: He baited me into selling him my bike by saying how much I deserved a better one.3. To set dogs upon (a chained animal, for example) for sport.4. To taunt or torment (someone), as with persistent insults or ridicule: “He baited him mercilessly and had all sorts of unpleasant names for him” (Ruth Prawer Jhabvala).5. To feed (an animal), especially on a journey.v.intr. Archaic To stop for food or rest during a trip.[Middle English, from Old Norse beita, food, fodder, fish bait. V., from Old Norse beita, to put animals to pasture, hunt with dogs; see bheid- in Indo-European roots.]bait?er n.Usage Note: The word baited is sometimes incorrectly substituted for the etymologically correct but unfamiliar word bated (“abated; suspended”) in the expression bated breath.bait 2 (b?t)v. Variant of bate2.American Heritage® Dictionary of the English Language, Fifth Edition. Copyright © 2016 by Houghton Mifflin Harcourt Publishing Company. Published by Houghton Mifflin Harcourt Publishing Company. All rights reserved.bait (be?t) n1. (Angling) something edible, such as soft bread paste, worms, or pieces of meat, fixed to a hook or in a trap to attract fish or animals2. an enticement; temptation3. a variant spelling of bate44. dialect Northern English food, esp a packed lunch5. archaic a short stop for refreshment during a journeyvb6. (Hunting) (tr) to put a piece of food on or in (a hook or trap)7. (tr) to persecute or tease8. (tr) to entice; tempt9. (Hunting) (tr) to set dogs upon (a bear, etc)10. (tr) archaic to feed (a horse), esp during a break in a journey11. (intr) archaic to stop for rest and refreshment during a journey[C13: from Old Norse beita to hunt, persecute; related to Old English b?tan to restrain, hunt, Old High German beizen]Usage: The phrase with bated breath is sometimes wrongly spelled with baited breathbait (be?t) vb (Falconry) a variant spelling of bate2Collins English Dictionary ? Complete and Unabridged, 12th Edition 2014 © HarperCollins Publishers 1991, 1994, 1998, 2000, 2003, 2006, 2007, 2009, 2011, 2014bait (be?t) n. 1. food, or some substitute, used as a lure in fishing, trapping, etc. 2. a poisoned lure used in exterminating pests. 3. an allurement; enticement. v.t. 4. to prepare (a hook or trap) with bait. 5. to lure, as with bait. 6. to set dogs upon (an animal) for sport. 7. to torment, esp. with malicious remarks; harass. 8. to tease. 9. to feed and water (an animal) during a journey. v.i. Archaic. 10. to stop for food or refreshment during a journey. [1150?1200; Middle English