bait
UK: beɪt | US: beɪt
n. food or other lure used to attract and catch prey
vt. to deliberately provoke or harass someone
vt. to entice or tempt someone into a trap or unfavorable situation
The word "bait" traces back to Old Norse beita, meaning "to cause to bite" or "food for animals." It entered Middle English via Old Norse influence during the Viking Age, retaining its core sense of luring prey. Over time, it expanded metaphorically to describe provoking humans (e.g., baiting an argument). The spelling remained stable, reflecting its Norse roots without further segmentation.
The fisherman used worms as bait to catch trout.
Protesters accused the media of baiting them into violence.
She ignored his rude comments, refusing to take the bait.
The trap was set with fresh bait to attract the fox.
Online trolls often bait users with controversial statements.