Definition of "bait" []

• Food or other lure placed on a hook or in a trap and used in the taking of fish, birds, or other animals. (noun)
• Something, such as a worm, used for this purpose. (noun)
• An enticement; a temptation. (noun)
• Archaic A stop for food or rest during a trip. (noun)
• To place a lure in (a trap) or on (a fishing hook). (verb-transitive)

American Heritage(R) Dictionary of the English Language, Fifth Edition. Copyright (c) 2011 by Houghton Mifflin Harcourt Publishing Company. Published by Houghton Mifflin Harcourt Publishing Company. All rights reserved.

• "This bait is about two inches long, has wiggly legs, and also has two wiggly curled tails."
• "Grab the lure with your other hand and pull it back, loading the rod, until the bait is about even with your side."
• "We'll show you what the cops are doing in what they call bait cars."