FluentPlex

bait

/beɪt/ noun C1
  1. Any substance, especially food, used in catching fish, or other animals, by alluring them to a hook, snare, trap, or net. (countable, uncountable) · attach bait to a hook· catch a few using bait
  2. Food containing poison or a harmful additive to kill animals that are pests. (countable, uncountable)
  3. Anything which allures; something or someone used to lure or entice someone or something into doing something. (countable, uncountable) · clickbait· ragebait
  4. A post intended to elicit a, usually strong or negative, reaction from others. (countable, uncountable) · Please stop posting bait, or I will have to mute you.
  5. Something that lures or entices a specified group. (countable, uncountable) · queerbait· sequel bait
  6. Someone that attracts or entices a specified sex act being done to them. (countable, uncountable) · somno bait· snuff bait
  7. A portion of food or drink, as a refreshment taken on a journey; also, a stop for rest and refreshment. (countable, uncountable)
  8. A packed lunch, especially for a miner or other manual labourer. (countable, uncountable)

Plural baits

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From the library

If we have no other way of catching him, we can always bait our line with the ring.
A Study in Scarlet, p. 44 · B2
That angular shadow up yonder was the bait, and we were the hunters.
The Return of Sherlock Holmes, p. 20 · C1
Have you not tethered a young kid under a tree, lain above it with your rifle, and waited for the bait to bring up your tiger?
The Return of Sherlock Holmes, p. 25 · C1
There seemed to be no alternative but to catch him red-handed, and to do so we had to use Sir Henry, alone and apparently unprotected, as a bait.
The Hound of the Baskervilles, p. 214 · C1

Other matches

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Words, meanings, pronunciations and translations from Wiktionary (CC BY-SA 4.0); how common each word is from wordfreq. Made into this dictionary by FluentPlex.