- 1food put on a hook to catch fish, or in nets, traps, etc. to catch animals or birds Live worms are used as bait. The fish took the bait.
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- 2a person or thing that is used to catch someone or to attract them, for example to make them do what you want He had chosen the right bait to persuade her to go. The police used him as bait to trap the killers.
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