Meaning of the word bait in English

What does bait mean in English? Explore the meaning, pronunciation, and specific usage of this word with Lingoland.

bait

US /beɪt/
UK /beɪt/

Noun

food or other enticement used to attract fish or other animals, or to lure someone into a trap

Example:
He put some worms on the hook as bait.
The offer of a free gift was just bait to get people to sign up.

Verb

to deliberately annoy or taunt someone

Example:
The children continued to bait the dog with sticks.
He tried to bait me into an argument, but I refused.