noun

Food placed on a hook or in a net, trap, or fishing area to entice fish or other animals as prey.

herrings make excellent bait for pike

lure,decoy,fly,troll,jig,plug,teaser

verb

Deliberately annoy or taunt (someone)

the other boys revelled in baiting him about his love of literature

taunt,goad,provoke,pick on,torment,torture,persecute,badger,plague,harry,harass,hound,tease,annoy,irritate,get someone’s back up