bayten

Middle English

Alternative forms

• bayte, baite, beyton, baiten, beiten, beȝȝtenn

Etymology

From Old Norse beita, from Proto-Germanic *baitijaną; equivalent to bayte +‎ -en (infinitival suffix).

Pronunciation

• IPA^(key): /ˈbæi̯tən/

Verb

bayten

1. To attack or war with; to bait:
   1. To bait or attack one's prey with a dog.
   2. (rare) To attack one's prey as a dog baiting.
   3. (rare) To tease or inflict anguish; to drive someone to do something.
2. To supply or provide with food:
   1. To feed an animal or prepare to do so; to feed or water oneself when referring to an animal.
   2. (rare) To dine or consume; to nourish oneself as a human.
   3. (rare, figurative) To metaphorically nourish oneself; to visually stimulate oneself.
3. (rare) To supply a fishing mechanism with bait.
4. (rare) To fatten; to prepare so as to be used as meat.
5. (rare) To chase down with hounds.

Conjugation

Conjugation of bayten (weak in -ed)

infinitive	(to) bayten, bayte
	present tense	past tense
1st-person singular	bayte	bayted
2nd-person singular	baytest	baytedest
3rd-person singular	bayteth	bayted
subjunctive singular	bayte
imperative singular		—
plural1	bayten, bayte	bayteden, baytede
imperative plural	bayteth, bayte	—
participles	baytynge, baytende	bayted, ybayted

¹Sometimes used as a formal 2nd-person singular.

Related terms

• bayte
• baytynge

Descendants

• English: bait
• Scots: bait

References

• “baiten, v.”, in MED Online, Ann Arbor, Mich.: University of Michigan, 2007, retrieved 2018-07-14.