Dictionaries of the Scots Language
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A Dictionary of the Older Scottish Tongue (up to 1700)

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First published 1937 (DOST Vol. I).
This entry has not been updated since then but may contain minor corrections and revisions.

Bait, Bate, v. Also: bayt. [ME. baite, bayte, beyte, early ME. beȝȝtenn, ON. beita to cause to bite.]

1. tr. a. To feed (a horse, etc.), esp. on a journey.1375 Barb. xiii. 589 (than lichtit thai till bayt thar hors). 1501 Doug. Pal. Hon. i. 201 (his houndis misknew him at them batit).

b. To entice with bait.1596 Dalr. I. 60/16 (solande geise, … quhilkes quhen thay have bayted, thay at last leir thame to sit).

2. intr. a. To stop in order to feed horses; to take rest and refreshment.1375 Barb. xiii. 591 (Douglas baytit besyde thame neir); 599 (a litill quhile thai baitit thar). 1496 Treas. Acc. I. 305 (quhare the King baytit abone Ilay). 1497 Ib. 355 (passand to Quhithirne, quhare the King batit). 1504 Ib. II. 456 (quhair the King baytit at the halking).

b. Of a horse: To feed or pasture.1540 Lynd. Sat. 1985 (our gude gray meir was baittand on the feild).

3. tr. To assail (as) with dogs.c1500-c1512 Dunb. lix. 27 (that ladis may bait him lyk a buill). 1603 Shetl. Sheriff Ct. MS. 82 b (the baiting and hunding of twa lambes over the crage).