Plural of bait; multiple things used to lure or attract animals, or to provoke someone; food or rewards used as enticement.
From Old Norse 'beita' (to bait/feed animals). The word has retained its basic meaning for over a thousand years, with modern usage extending the metaphor to include provocations and enticements.
The word 'bait' has become metaphorical in so many contexts—'clickbait,' 'bait-and-switch,' 'click bait'—showing how a literal fishing term has become a language of trust and deception.
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