Middle English Dictionary Entry
baiten v.
Entry Info
| Forms | baiten v. Also beȝȝtenn, beiten, baten. |
| Etymology | ON; cp. OI beita (corresp. to OE bǣtan). |
Definitions (Senses and Subsenses)
1.
(a) To bait (an animal) with an attacking or herding dog; specif., to bait (a tied or confined bear, bull, or badger) in sport; (b) of a dog: to set on (an animal or person); perh. [quot.: a1375] to set (a dog) on (an animal); (c) to drive (sb.) away with attacking dogs.
Associated quotations
a
- (c1300) Havelok (LdMisc 108)1840 : Þey..shoten on him, so don on bere Dogges, þat wolden him to-tere þanne men doth þe bere beyte.
- (c1300) Havelok (LdMisc 108)2330 : Þer [at sports festival] mouhte men se þe boles beyte, And þe bores, with hundes teyte.
- a1375(1335-1361) WPal.(KC 13)1723 : No man..miȝt oþer perceyue but sche a bere were to baite at a stake.
- c1390 NHom.Narrat.(Vrn)266/398 : Plouh men..sayh beestes two children bere Touward wode, and þei hem Bayted wiþ houndes.
- a1400(c1303) Mannyng HS (Hrl 1701)10902 : Þe gode shepard..setteþ..on hys hounde, And bayteþ hem [straying sheep] a wel gode stounde.
- (1440) PParv.(Hrl 221)29 : Beyton wyth howndys, berys, bolys, or other lyke: Commordio.
- a1450 Yk.Pl.(Add 35290)258/118 : He lokis like a brokke, Were he in a bande for to bayte.
- a1525(?1424) Cov.Leet Bk.83 : The chamburlayns schall make a ryng at the Bullryng, to thend þat bullez may be baytyd as they haue byn hertofore.
b
- a1375(1335-1361) WPal.(KC 13)11 : Þe herd had wiþ him an hound his hert to liȝt, forto bayte on his bestes wanne þai to brode went.
- c1450 How mankinde dooþ (Lamb 853)597 : Helle houndes berken and baite.
- c1475(c1399) Mum & S.(1) (Cmb Ll.4.14)3.29 : This is..hir [the hart's] kynde..Ne to stryue with swan..Ne to bayten on the bere, ne bynde him noþer.
c
- a1400 Pep.Gosp.(Pep 2498)64/21 : Noman ne ȝaf hym nouȝth, but token þe houndes and bayted hym from þe gate.
2.
(a) To harass, torment, or persecute (sb.); (b) to incite (sb.).
Associated quotations
a
- c1175 Orm.(Jun 1)10171 : Þise Puplicaness durrsten beȝȝtenn menn Forr æþelike gillte.
- a1425(?a1400) RRose (Htrn 409)1612 : Folk of grettist wit Ben soone caught heere..Withouten respit ben they baited.
b
- a1500(?c1378) Wycl.OPastor.(Ryl Eng 86)437 : Prelatis..baytiþ a pariȝshen aȝenus þe persoun longe tyme aftir.
3.
(a) To put (a horse or other beast of burden) to feed or graze; (b) of a horse: to graze; (c) of a dog: to take drink; (d) to fatten (an animal) for slaughter.
Associated quotations
a
- ?a1425(c1400) Mandev.(1) (Tit C.16)160/30 : Þei maken fressch men redy..whill þat the laste bryngere reste him & bayte his dromedarie or his hors.
- c1440(?a1400) Morte Arth.(1) (Thrn)2671 : Baytaynde theire blonkes þer on þe brode mede.
- a1450(1408) *Vegetius(1) (Dc 291)87a : Whanne [men] þair hors baiteþ..þan enemyes falleþ on most sodaynlyche.
- ?c1450 St.Cuth.(Eg 3309)1258 : To bayte his horse.
b
- (c1390) Chaucer CT.Th.(Manly-Rickert)B.2103 : By hym baiteth his destrer Of herbes fyne and goode.
- c1440(?a1400) Morte Arth.(1) (Thrn)2694 : He lordely lyghttes..And lete his burlyche blonke baite on þe flores.
- a1500(?a1400) Torrent (Chet 8009)1553 : Down light this gentill knyght, To Rest hym..And vnbrydelid his stede And let hym bayte hym on the ground.
c
- c1600(?c1395) PPl.Creed (Trin-C R.3.15)375 : Prechours..ben digne as dich water þat dogges in bayteþ.
d
- c1400(?c1380) Cleanness (Nero A.10)55 : My boles and my borez arn bayted and slayne And my fedde foulez fatted wyth sclaȝt.
- a1525(?1474) Cov.Leet Bk.398 : Þat he sle no bullis fflesshe but yf hit be bayted.
4.
(a) To partake of food, eat; (b) to feast (the eye); of the eye: to feast (on sth.).
Associated quotations
a
- (c1390) Chaucer CT.ML.(Manly-Rickert)B.466 : O [vrr. of, on] many a sory meel now may she bayte.
- c1440(?a1400) Perceval (Thrn)187 : Scho..tuke a tryppe of gayte, With mylke of þam for to bayte To hir lyues fode.
b
- (1415) Hoccl.Oldcastle (Hnt HM 111)206 : If þat thee list in hem [books of the Bible] bayte thyn ye, More autentike thing shalt thow fynde noon.
- c1425(a1420) Lydg.TB (Aug A.4)2.3542 : Wher þei may finde opportunyte..Now couertly her eyne for to baite.
- a1425(c1385) Chaucer TC (Benson-Robinson)1.192 : And in his walk..he..lete his eighen baiten On any womman that he koude espye.
5.
To stop to feed one's horses and to eat.
Associated quotations
- c1440(?a1400) Morte Arth.(1) (Thrn)2516 : Than was he warre of a wye, wondyre wele armyde, Baytand on a wattire-banke by þe wodde-eyuis.
- (1450) Doc.in HMC Rep.5 App.520a : Paid at Hethe, ther baytyng the Juratys and comyners sent to Dovorre.
- a1525(1470) Rebell.Lin.(ArmsV 435)9 : The king..at his thidre comyng..bayted hym self and his felaship in the town.
6.
To bait (a fishing line or hook).
Associated quotations
- a1400 Cursor (Göt Theol 107)13285 : At see saint iohn and iame he fand, Quiles þai þair lines war baitand.
- c1450(c1385) Chaucer Mars (Benson-Robinson)238 : He..lyk a fissher..Baiteth hys angle-hok with som plesaunce.
- c1450 Treat.Fish.(Yale 171)17 : A lyne of i or ij herys batyd with a flye.
Supplemental Materials (draft)
- c1450 ?C.d'Orl.Poems (Hrl 682)59/1730 : Thus baytith he [my heart] to he be so forfought That…he fayntith in his fight.
Note: New sense: 2.(c) ?to be harassed
- c1460(a1449) Lydg.Cock (Hrl 2255)126 : Brechelees beerys be betyn on the bare.
Note: New spelling. Presumably sense 1.(a).