also 6–7 baite, bayte, 7–9 bait. [a. OF. batre (mod. battre):—late L. batĕre, battĕre, for cl. L. batuĕre. In sense 1 partly also a shortened form of DEBATE v.]
† 1. To contend, fight, strive, with blows or arguments. Const. on. Obs.
a. 1300. Cursor M., 5913. And for he wil þus bate [Trin. MS. debate] on me, I sal him drenkil in þe se.
c. 1400. Destr. Troy, XIV. 5914. Durst no buerne on hym bate for his bold dedis.
c. 1440. Promp. Parv., 26/2. Batyn, or make debate, Iurgor.
2. Falconry. To beat the wings impatiently and flutter away from the fist or perch. (Fr. se battre: cf. ABATE v.1 18.)
1398. Trevisa, Barth. De P. R., XII. iii. (1495), 412. That she bate not to ofte fro his honde.
1486. Bk. St. Albans, Hawking, A vj. Holde faste at all timys and specially whan she batith.
1596. Shaks., Tam. Shrew, IV. i. 99. These kites, That baite, and beate, and will not be obedient.
1631. Celestina, I. 3. The Gyrfalcon bated, and I came in to set him on the pearch.
1828. Sebright, Observ. Hawking, 14. In the field the hood prevents them from baiting. Ibid., 48. Which assists the hawk in regaining the perch when he has baited off.
b. fig. To flutter, struggle; to be restless or impatient. Obs.
1592. Shaks., Rom. & Jul., III. ii. 14. Come, civil night … Hood my vnman’d blood, bayting in my Cheekes.
1673. Dryden, Assignation, I. i. You are eager, and baiting to be gone.
1682. Sir T. Browne, Chr. Mor. (1756), 106. It’s now somewhat late to bait after things before us.
c. with some sense of BATE v.2 combined: To flutter downwards. Also To bate the wings.
1590. Greene, Never too late (1600), 93. I haue soared with the Hobby, I shall bate with the Bunting.
1641. Milton, Ch. Discip., I. Wks. (1851), 2. Till the Soule by this meanes of over-bodying herselfe … bated her wing apace downeward.
