# take the bait

> English word · Verb

## Definitions
1. To nibble at bait on a hook.
2. To be lured by an offer, flattery, or a provocation into doing something, especially something disadvantageous or dubious.

## Etymology
An allusion to a fish swallowing a baited hook.

## Source
Compiled from Wiktionary via kaikki.org (CC BY-SA). Data vintage: 2026-05-06.
Canonical page: https://plainspell.com/en/word/take-the-bait