Bait

1bait pronunciation: function: verb etymology: middle english, from old norse beita; akin to old english b??tan to bait, bītan to bite — more at bitedate: 13th centurytransitive verb 1 a : to persecute or exasperate with unjust, malicious, or persistent attacks b : tease2 a : to harass (as a chained animal) with dogs usually for sport b : to attack by biting and tearing3 a : to furnish with bait b : entice, lure4 : to give food and drink to (an animal) especially on the roadintransitive verb archaic : to stop for food and rest when traveling— bait;er noun synonyms bait, badger, heckle, hector, chivy, hound mean to harass by efforts to break down. bait implies wanton cruelty or delight in persecuting a helpless victim lt;baited the chained doggt;. badger implies pestering so as to drive a person to confusion or frenzy lt;badgered her father for a cargt;. heckle implies persistent annoying or belligerent interruptions of a speaker lt;drunks heckled the stand-up comicgt;. hector carries an implication of bullying and domineering lt;football players hectored by their coachgt;. chivy suggests persecution by teasing or nagging lt;chivied the new student mercilesslygt;. hound implies unrelenting pursuit and harassing lt;hounded by creditorsgt;.