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   bait

   /beɪt/

   noun

   • 1. food placed on a hook or in a net, trap, or fishing area to entice fish or other animals as prey: "herrings make excellent bait for pike" Similar luredecoyflytrolljigplugteaser
   • ▪ something intended to entice someone to do something: "many potential buyers are reluctant to take the bait" Similar enticementluredecoysnaretrapsirencarrotattractiondrawmagnetincentivetemptationallurementincitementinducementinformal:come-on
   • 2. variant spelling of bate

   verb

   • 1. deliberately annoy or taunt (someone): "the other boys revelled in baiting him about his love of literature"
   • ▪ cause dogs to attack (a trapped or restrained animal): "people who bait badgers"
   • 2. put bait on (a hook) or in (a trap, net, or fishing area) to entice fish or animals: "I used a hook baited with fat"

   Word Origin Middle English: from Old Norse beit ‘pasture, food’, beita ‘to hunt or chase’.

   Derivatives

   • 1. baiter noun

   Scrabble Points: 6

   • B

     3

   • A

     1

   • I

     1

   • T

     1

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