Forms: 3 beȝȝt-en, beyte-n, 4–6 bayt, baite, 4–7 bayte, 5–6 beyt, 6 baight, 6–7 bate, 4– bait. [ME. beȝȝten, beyten, a. ON. beita to cause to bite (= OE. bǽtan, OHG., MHG. beiȥen, Goth. *baitjan), causal of bíta to BITE; but in branch III prob. directly from BAIT sb.1: cf. OE. bátian, f. bát bait. With branch I cf. OF. beter, also from ON.]
I. To cause to bite other creatures.
† 1. trans. To set on (a dog) to bite or worry.
(Cf. the similar construction in BATE v.1)
c. 1350. Will. Palerne, 11. Þe herd had wiþ him an hound … For to bayte on his bestes wanne þai to brode went.
† b. fig. To set on, incite, exasperate. Cf. ABAIT.
c. 1378. Wyclif, De Off. Past., Wks. (1880), 437. Prelatis … baytiþ a pariȝshen aȝenus þe persoun.
2. To set on dogs to bite and worry (an animal, such as the bear, boar, bull, badger, etc., usually chained or confined for this purpose), to attack with dogs for sport; formerly, also, to hunt or chase with dogs.
a. 1300. Havelok, 1840. And shoten on him, so don on bere Dogges … Thanne men doth the bere beyte.
c. 1325. E. E. Allit. P., B. 55. My boles & my borez arn bayted & slayne.
c. 1440. Promp. Parv., 29. Beyton wyth howndys, berys, bolys, or other lyke, canibus agitare.
1593. Shaks., 2 Hen. VI., V. i. 148. Are these thy Beares? Wee’l bate thy Bears to death.
1606. Holland, Sueton., 120. There was a wild bore put foorth into the open shew-place for to be baited.
1801. Strutt, Sports & Past., III. vi. 217. The cruel diversion of baiting a horse with dogs.
b. fig. To cause (a person) to be molested, harassed or persecuted (with).
1642. Fuller, Holy & Prof. St., I. iii. 9. Such husbands as bait the mistris with her maids.
1655. Trial Col. Penruddock, in Howell, St. Trials (1816), V. 775. Sir, you have put me in a bear’s skin, and now you will bait me with a witness.
c. (in sense of 4, but retaining some idea of intermediate agency, as in prec.)
1555. Fardle Facions, II. xi. 250. Thei reuile him, and baite him with shames and reproche.
1659. Godfrey, in Burton’s Diary (1828), IV. 347. It was a breach of privilege to bait you with those interrogations.
1778. Johnson, in Boswell (1831), IV. 124. I will not be baited with what and why.
3. To attack with endeavor to bite and tear, as dogs attack a chained or confined animal (cf. 2).
1553–87. Foxe, A. & M. (1596), 43/2. Attalus … was baited of the beasts.
1596. Spenser, F. Q., I. xii. 35. As chained beare whom cruell dogs doe bait.
Mod. They set on several dogs to bait the badger.
b. absol.
c. 1430. Hymns to Virg. (1867), 77. Helle houndis berken and baite.
1547. Boorde, Introd. Knowl., 187. Kur dogges, For men shyns they wyl ly in wayte; It is a good sport to se them so to bayte.
1735. Somerville, Chase, IV. 332. Raving he foams, and howls, and barks, and bates.
4. fig. To persecute or harass with persistent attacks (a person more or less unable to escape); to worry or torment in an exasperating manner, esp. from a wanton or malicious desire to inflict pain.
c. 1200. Ormin, 10171. Þise Puplicaness … durrsten beȝȝtenn menn Forr æþelike gillte.
c. 1400. Rom. Rose, 1612. Folk of grettist wit Ben soone caught heere & awayted; Withouten respite ben they baited.
1635. R. Bolton, Comf. Affl. Consc., 173. God must let loose his Lawe, Sinne, Conscience, and Satan to bate us.
1751. Johnson, Rambl., No. 176, ¶ 4. The diversion of baiting an author has the sanction of all ages.
1834. Macaulay, Pitt, Ess. (1854), I. 301. The new Secretary of State had been so unmercifully baited by the Paymaster of the Forces.
† b. intr. with at (in same sense). Obs.
1579. Tomson, Calvin’s Serm. Tim., 956/2. Why are they so alwayes bayting at me?
1607. Dekker, Knt.’s Conjur. (1842), 38. Bayted at by whole kennels of yelping watermen.
1679. Hist. Jetzer, 9. The Fathers all this while were baiting at him.
II. To cause a creature to bite for its own refreshment; to feed.
5. trans. To give food and drink to (a horse or other beast), esp. when upon a journey; to feed.
1375. Barbour, Bruce, XIII. 589. Than lichtit thai … Till bayt thar horss.
c. 1400. Maundev., xxii. 243. While that [he] reste him, And bayte his Dromedarie or his hors.
1596. Spenser, F. Q., I. i. 32. The sunne … At night doth baite his steedes the ocean waves emong.
1697. C’tess. D’Aunoy’s Trav. (1706), 47. And stop at the Bank of some River, where the Mule-Drivers bate their Mules.
1799. J. Robertson, Agric. Perth, 200. You have this second crop of clover … to bait your cows.
1858. Thackeray, Virginians, x. 79. Whilst their horses were baited, they entered the public room.
6. (refl. and) intr. Said of horses or other beasts: To take food, to feed, esp. at a stage of a journey.
c. 1386. Chaucer, Sir Thopas, 202. By him baytith his destrer Of herbes fyne and goode.
1394. P. Pl. Crede, 375. Þey ben digne as dich water þat dogges in bayteþ.
c. 1435. Torr. Portugal, 1566. Unbrydelid his stede And let hym bayte hym on the ground.
1523. Fitzherb., Husb., § 22. In lodynge of hey or corne, the cattel is alwaye eatynge or beytynge.
1832. B’ness Bunsen, in Hare, Life, I. ix. 384. An osteria … at which our horses were to bait.
7. intr. Of travellers: To stop at an inn, orig. to feed the horses, but later also to rest and refresh themselves; hence, to make a brief stay or sojourn.
1375. Barbour, Bruce, XIII. 599. A litill quhile thai baitit thar.
1475. Caxton, Jason, 37 b. They cam for to bayte in the logging wher her frende Jason had logged.
1577. Holinshed, Chron., II. 16/2. The caue or den wherein saint Paule is said to haue baited or sojorned.
1659–60. Pepys, Diary, 24 Feb. At Puckeridge we baited, where we had a loin of mutton fried.
1777. Sheridan, Trip Scarb., I. ii. To bait here a few days longer, to recover the fatigue of his journey.
1874. Motley, Barneveld, I. iv. 179. They set forth on their journey—stopping in the middle of the day to bait.
b. fig.
1639. Fuller, Holy War, III. xxix. (1840), 170. A prince … only baiteth at learning, and maketh not his profession to lodge in.
1671. Milton, Samson, 1538. For evil news rides post, while good news baits.
1823. Lamb, Elia, Ser. I. xxi. (1865), 165. Trace it [the sentiment] baiting at this town, stopping to refresh at t’other village.
† 8. intr. (and refl.) To feed, take nourishment.
c. 1386. Chaucer, Man of L’s T., 368. On many a sory meel now may she bayte.
a. 1400. Sir Perc., 187. A tryppe of gayte [= goats], With mylke of thame for to bayte To hir lyves fode.
1633. P. Fletcher, Purple Isl., VIII. xlv. So fisher waits To bait himself with fish, his hook And fish with baits.
† b. fig. of the eyes: To feast.
c. 1374. Chaucer, Troylus, I. 193. If knyght or squyer … lete his eyen bayte On eny woman.
1632. G. Fletcher, Christs Vict., II. v. If he stood still, their eyes upon him baited.
III. To provide with a bait, offer a bait to. [Prob. a later independent formation on the sb.]
9. trans. To furnish (a hook, trap) with a bait.
a. 1300. Cursor M., 13285. Quiles þai þair lines war baitand.
1398. Trevisa, Barth. De P. R., XVIII. cxv. (1495), 856. Fysshe hokys ben bayted wyth suche wormes in stede of bayte.
1556. J. Heywood, Spider & F., lxix. 43. This trap … for spiders is baighted.
1663. Butler, Hud., I. I. 384. Cheese or Bacon … To bait a Mouse-trap.
1725. Pope, Odyss., IV. 499. My absent mates … Bait the barb’d steel.
fig. 1548. Udall, etc., Erasm. Par. Matt. iv. 8 (R.). His hooke bayted with ye enticement of vayne glory.
1726. De Foe, Hist. Devil, II. vi. (1840), 251. He baited his hook with the city of Milan.
1820. Scott, Monast., xxii. Baited thy tongue with falsehood.
b. absol. (lit. and fig.)
1753. Chambers, Cycl. Supp., s.v., For cod they bait with herring.
1863. Mrs. C. Clarke, Shaks. Char., ix. 218. She therefore baited for, and caught her prey.
10. To lay (a place) with bait, so as to attract the prey.
1623. Althorp MS., in Simpkinson, Washingtons, Introd. 44. The ratcatcher for a coter’s wages for bating the house.
1665. Boyle, Occas. Refl., IV. xiv. He had liberally Baited the place over-night with Corn, as well as Worms.
1867. F. Francis, Angling, i. (1880), 33. When once the place has been baited.
11. To offer bait to; to allure, entice, tempt.
1590. Shaks., Com. Err., II. i. 94. Doe their gay vestments his affections baite? Ibid. (1596), Merch. V., III. i. 55. His flesh, what’s that good for? Shy. To baite fish withall.
1865. Dixon, Holy Land, I. 173. Just as the harvests of Kent and Mercia used to bait the Saxon vikings.
Bait v.2 Falconry. See better spelling, BATE v.1
