Bait | Mean of bait in English Dictionary

/ˈbeɪt/

• Noun
• something (such as a piece of food) that is used to attract fish or animals so they can be caught
1. We always use live bait [=worms that are alive] when we fish.
2. cheese used for/as bait in mousetraps
3. Wait until the fish takes the bait.
4. a wide selection of lures and baits
5. using bargains as bait for shoppers [=using bargains to attract shoppers]
6. The police waited for the bank robbers to take the bait. [=to be tricked into doing the thing that would cause them to be trapped or caught]
7. (chiefly Brit) The interviewer kept asking the politician whether he was lying, and he rose to the bait by getting angry.
• Verb
• to put a piece of food on (a hook) or in (a trap) in order to attract and catch fish or animals
1. She baited the mousetraps with pieces of cheese. = She used cheese to bait the traps.
2. baiting hooks with live worms
3. a baited hook/trap
• to try to make (someone) angry by using criticism or insults
1. The interviewer kept baiting the politician by asking him whether he was lying.

• to use dogs to make (an animal, such as a bear or bull) angry or afraid
1. bear-baiting
2. bull-baiting