Putting food or an attractive lure on a hook to catch fish or animals, or deliberately trying to provoke someone into an angry reaction.
From Old Norse 'beita' meaning 'to cause to bite,' which came into Middle English in the 13th century. Originally referred to feeding animals or putting bait on hooks, but the figurative sense of provoking someone developed later as the word came to mean tempting or taunting.
The word 'baiting' has been used the same way for bears and humans for centuries—both meanings involve using something irresistible to make someone do what you want, whether that's biting a hook or losing their temper.
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