bait

Meanings

1. 1noununcountable

   Food or another object placed on a hook or in a trap to tempt an animal or fish, or something offered to tempt a person into doing something.

   Grammar: Usually uncountable for the material (some bait), with 'a bait' only rarely heard.

   Patterns

   • bait for something
   • use something as bait

   He used worms as bait and caught three trout.

   The cheese in the mousetrap was the only bait needed.

   The cheap price was just bait to get customers into the store.

2. 2verbtransitive

   To tease or provoke someone on purpose in order to make them angry or upset.

   Grammar: Takes an object: he baited his sister.

   Patterns

   • bait someone
   • bait someone into something

   The older boys baited him until he lost his temper.

   Reporters tried to bait the senator into criticizing his rival.

   Stop baiting the dog through the fence.

3. 3verbtransitive

   To put food or a lure on a hook or in a trap.

   Grammar: Takes an object: bait the hook.

   Patterns

   • bait something with something

   She baited the hook with a small piece of bread.

   The trapper baited each cage with fresh meat.

   Dad baited the line before we sat down on the pier.

Word forms

Common combinations

take the bait

I knew it was a trick, but I took the bait anyway.

rise to the bait

He refused to rise to the bait when they teased him.

live bait

Anglers often prefer live bait for large fish.

bait and switch

The ad was a bait and switch, since the cheap model was never in stock.

click bait

The headline was pure clickbait.

bait a hook

She baited a hook with a worm.

Synonyms and how they differ

lure

Lure is close to bait but also works for artificial fishing tools and any attractive thing, while bait is often real food.

decoy

A decoy is a fake animal or person meant to draw attention away or attract real ones, whereas bait is something the target wants.

provoke

Provoke is the broader verb for causing a reaction, while bait suggests doing it deliberately and repeatedly to get a response.

tease

Tease can be affectionate and playful, but bait has a harder edge and aims to trigger anger.

Word family

baiting noun

the act of teasing or provoking, as in bear-baiting

clickbait noun

online content designed to attract clicks with an exciting headline

bait-and-switch noun

a sales trick of advertising a cheap item and then offering something else

baited adjective

having a lure on it, as in a baited hook

Commonly confused: bait or bate?

Practice

Make it your own

Write a sentence using “bait”, then check it and compare it with the examples above.

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