baited


baited

lured, enticed: She baited him with a seductive dance.; placed bait on a hook
Not to be confused with:bated – lessened the force of; with breath drawn in or held: She spoke with bated breath.

bait 1

B0031200 (bāt)n.1. a. Food or other lure placed on a hook or in a trap and used in the taking of fish, birds, or other animals.b. Something, such as a worm, used for this purpose.2. An enticement, temptation, or provocation: He did not take the bait by responding to the taunt and getting drawn into an argument.v. bait·ed, bait·ing, baits v.tr.1. To place a lure in (a trap) or on (a fishing hook).2. To entice or provoke, especially by trickery or strategy: He baited me into selling him my bike by saying how much I deserved a better one.3. To set dogs upon (a chained animal, for example) for sport.4. To taunt or torment (someone), as with persistent insults or ridicule: "He baited him mercilessly and had all sorts of unpleasant names for him" (Ruth Prawer Jhabvala).5. To feed (an animal), especially on a journey.v.intr. Archaic To stop for food or rest during a trip.
[Middle English, from Old Norse beita, food, fodder, fish bait. V., from Old Norse beita, to put animals to pasture, hunt with dogs; see bheid- in Indo-European roots.]
bait′er n.Usage Note: The word baited is sometimes incorrectly substituted for the etymologically correct but unfamiliar word bated ("abated; suspended") in the expression bated breath.

bait 2

B0031200 (bāt)v. Variant of bate2.

bate 1

B0031200 (bāt)tr.v. bat·ed, bat·ing, bates 1. To lessen the force or intensity of; moderate: "To his dying day he bated his breath a little when he told the story" (George Eliot). See Usage Note at bait1.2. To take away; subtract.
[Middle English baten, short for abaten; see abate.]

bate 2

also bait B0031200 (bāt)intr.v. bat·ed, bat·ing, bates also bait·ed or bait·ing or baits To flap the wings wildly or frantically. Used of a falcon.
[Middle English baten, from Old French batre, to beat; see batter1.]