bait
BAYT
/beɪt/
Food or another substance used to lure fish, animals, or pests into a trap or hook; to place food in a trap to attract prey.
Bait relies on attraction, drawing the pest to a specific location to capture or poison it, rather than driving it away.
The story behind the word. Derived from the Old Norse word beita, meaning 'to cause to bite' or 'to feed.' It is closely related to the Old English word bītan (to bite). Originally, it referred to food used to entice animals or fish, as well as the practice of setting dogs on chained animals (bull-baiting).
Word relationships
- lure: Lure is a broader term that can be abstract (e.g., the lure of fame), while bait is usually physical food or a direct imitation of it.
- decoy: A decoy is a physical imitation of an animal used to trick others, whereas bait is usually consumable.
- repellent: A repellent drives pests away, while bait actively attracts them.
Commonly confused with
- bated: 'Bated' means held back or suspended (used almost exclusively in 'bated breath'), while 'baited' means prepared with a lure.
Word family
- baited (adjective): Equipped with bait.
Collocations
- poison bait
- take the bait
- set the bait
- bait a trap
Idioms & expressions
- take the bait
Example sentences
- "The hunter laid down sweet bait to lure the wild boars into the enclosure." A hunting scenario.
Memory hook
Bait is something you use to make a pest take a 'bite'. Food that makes a pest take a bite.
When not to use
Do not confuse with 'bate' (as in 'with bated breath'), which means to lessen or hold back.
Fun facts
- The idiom 'to bait someone' (to deliberately annoy or tease them) comes from the medieval blood sport of 'bear-baiting,' where dogs were set upon a chained bear.
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