A cruel sport in which bears were attacked by dogs, popular in medieval and Renaissance Europe as public entertainment.
From 'bear' plus 'baiting' (gerund of 'bait,' from Old Norse 'beita'). The practice is documented from medieval times and was only legally abolished in Britain in 1835.
Bearbaiting lasted as a legal entertainment in Britain until 1835—the same decade that saw the birth of animal welfare movements—showing how quickly social attitudes toward animal cruelty can change when they become organized.
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