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Consult Chambers 21st Century Dictionary, The Chambers Thesaurus (1996) or Chambers Biographical Dictionary (1997 edition with amendments). Enter your search and choose your title from the drop-down menu.
bait noun 1 food put on a hook or in a trap to attract fish or animals. 2 anything intended to attract or tempt. 3 (also bate) slang a rage. verb (baited, baiting) 1 to put food on or in (a hook or trap). 2 to harass or tease (a person or animal) wilfully. 3 to set dogs on (another animal, eg a badger). baiting noun, especially in compounds bear-baiting.
ETYMOLOGY: 13c: from Norse beita to make something bite.
baited There is often a spelling confusion between baited and bated. |
bait noun 1 food put on a hook or in a trap to attract fish or animals. 2 anything intended to attract or tempt. 3 (also bate) slang a rage. verb (baited, baiting) 1 to put food on or in (a hook or trap). 2 to harass or tease (a person or animal) wilfully. 3 to set dogs on (another animal, eg a badger). baiting noun, especially in compounds bear-baiting.
ETYMOLOGY: 13c: from Norse beita to make something bite.
baited There is often a spelling confusion between baited and bated. |
bait noun 1 food put on a hook or in a trap to attract fish or animals. 2 anything intended to attract or tempt. 3 (also bate) slang a rage. verb (baited, baiting) 1 to put food on or in (a hook or trap). 2 to harass or tease (a person or animal) wilfully. 3 to set dogs on (another animal, eg a badger). baiting noun, especially in compounds bear-baiting.
ETYMOLOGY: 13c: from Norse beita to make something bite.
baited There is often a spelling confusion between baited and bated. |
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The Chambers Dictionary (13th edition)
“Chambers is the one I keep at my right hand”- Philip Pullman.
The unrivalled dictionary for word lovers, now in its 13th edition.
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The Chambers Thesaurus
The Chambers Thesaurus (4th Edition) is a veritable treasure-trove, including the greatest selection of alternative words and phrases available in an A to Z format. -
Chambers Biographical Dictionary
“Simply all you need to know about anyone” – Fay Weldon.
Thoroughly revised and updated for its 9th edition.




Consult Chambers 21st Century Dictionary, The Chambers Thesaurus (1996) or Chambers Biographical Dictionary (1997 edition with amendments). Enter your search and choose your title from the drop-down menu.
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