• vt. 引诱；在…中放诱饵；折磨
• n. 饵；诱饵
• vi. 中途休息
• n. (Bait)人名；(意)巴伊特

词源同bite , 咬。诱使鱼咬钩或狗咬人。

bait

bait: [13] Etymologically, the verb bait means ‘cause to bite’. It comes from Old Norse beita, a causative version of bita ‘bite’ (related to English bite). This took two semantic paths in English. In its aggressive mode, it meant literally ‘set dogs on someone’, and hence by figurative extension ‘harrass, persecute’. More peaceably, it signified ‘feed an animal’.

And this sense of ‘food provided’ is reflected in the noun bait, which comes partly from the verb, partly from the related Old Norse nouns beit ‘pasturage’ and beita ‘fish bait’. Old Norse beita was probably borrowed into Old French as beter, which with the prefix aproduced abeter, source of English abet [14], originally meaning ‘urge on, incite’.
=> abet, bite

bait (n.)

"food put on a hook or trap to lure prey," c. 1300, from Old Norse beita "food," related to Old Norse beit "pasture," Old English bat "food," literally "to cause to bite" (see bait (v.)). Figurative sense "anything used as a lure" is from c. 1400.

bait (v.1)

"to torment or goad (someone unable to escape, and to take pleasure in it)," c. 1300, beyten, a figurative use from the literal sense of "to set dogs on," from the medieval entertainment of setting dogs on some ferocious animal to bite and worry it (the literal use is attested from c. 1300); from Old Norse beita "to cause to bite," from Proto-Germanic *baitan (cognates: Old English b?tan "to cause to bite," Old High German beizzen "to bait," Middle High German beiz "hunting," German beizen "to hawk, to cauterize, etch"), causative of *bitan (see bite (v.)); the causative word forked into the two meanings of "harass" and "food offered." Related: Baited; baiting.

bait (v.2)

"to put food on a hook or in a trap," c. 1300, probably from bait (n.). Related: Baited; baiting.

1. Television programmes are essentially bait to attract an audience for advertisements.

从根本上说，电视节目就是吸引观众看广告的诱饵。

来自柯林斯例句

2. When she attempts to make you feel guilty, don't take the bait.

如果她试图让你觉得内疚，不要上当。

来自柯林斯例句

3. This type of trap uses no bait or other attractant.

这种陷阱不用诱饵或其他引诱物。

来自《权威词典》

4. The fish took the bait.

鱼咬了钓饵。

来自《权威词典》

5. The boss told him " Quit wasting time! Fish or cut bait.

”老板对他说 “ 别浪费时间了, 要么就干,要不干就走. ”

来自《简明英汉词典》