<p><strong>Noun</strong></p><ul><li>food, or some substitute, used as a lure in fishing, trapping, etc.</li><li>a poisoned lure used in exterminating pests.</li><li>an allurement; enticement: Employees were lured with the bait of annual bonuses.</li><li>an object for pulling molten or liquefied material, as glass, from a vat or the like by adhesion.</li><li>South Midland and Southern U.S. a large or sufficient quantity or amount: He fetched a good bait of wood.</li><li>an excessive quantity or amount.</li><li>British Slang. food.</li></ul><p><strong>Verb (used with object)</strong></p><ul><li>to prepare (a hook or trap) with bait.</li><li>to entice by deception or trickery so as to entrap or destroy: using fake signal lights to bait the ships onto the rocks.</li><li>to attract, tempt, or captivate.</li><li>to set dogs upon (an animal) for sport.</li><li>to worry, torment, or persecute, especially with malicious remarks: a nasty habit of baiting defenseless subordinates.</li><li>Synonyms: pester, heckle, badger.</li><li>to tease: They love to bait him about his gaudy ties.</li><li>to feed and water (a horse or other animal), especially during a journey.</li></ul><p><strong>Verb (used without object)</strong></p><ul><li>Archaic. to stop for food or refreshment during a journey.</li><li>(of a horse or other animal) to take food; feed.</li></ul>