What does “bait” mean in English?
A Rich Man, A Mystery Woman, And A Monster
A1 English listening practice · English · Curated for beginners
Bait is something you use to attract an animal so you can catch it. A fisherman puts a worm on a hook as bait. The word also works for people: if someone tempts you into a trap, they use you as bait, or they “bait” you. It is a short word with a clear picture: something attractive hides something dangerous.
The story ends with a twist: the rich man sees a beautiful woman on a rock, but she “was bait for the sea monster.” She was never real, only a lure to bring him closer. The same idea gives us clickbait, an exciting headline that makes you click a link. Do not confuse it with bite, which is what the fish does.
Vocabulary frequency
How common is the vocabulary in this A1 English listening practice listening practice?
General English frequency
Spoken English frequency
Source: wordfreq 3.1.1 (general) · SUBTLEX-US 2012 (spoken). Buckets approximate; exact ranks not stored.