Green’s Dictionary of Slang

1. one’s intended prey or victim.

1703		Apollo’s feast: or, Wits entertainment 3: Indeed Sir, have been told that there is no better Bait in the world than an Excise-Man.
1872		H. Beidler Delegate at Grant’s Convention 27: I felt all happy [...] until one of those fellows they call in the north police, said, ‘You’re my bait.’ [HDAS].
1879		Snares of N.Y. 80: He it is he [sic] who has first to find the ‘bait’ (victim) for the badger to work on [HDAS].

2. an attractive man or woman used to lure a victim into a con-game or a mugging.

1939		Howsley Argot: Dict. of Und. Sl. 6: bait – a young girl lure.
1950		Goldin et al. DAUL 21/2: Bait, n. Dupe; decoy; cover-up. ‘Plant (station) that punk (kid) to lay zex (act as lookout), and no one will rumble (notice) us with him for bait.’.
1983		R. Klein Jailhouse Jargon and Street Sl. [unpub. ms.].
1989–2003		R.O. Scott Gay Sl. Dict. 🌐 bait: [...] 2. attractive young man or boy, used by the criminal element to entrap gay men into performing an act of sex to blackmail them. 3 attractive young man or boy, used by the gay bashers to trap gay men so they can beat them up.
2023		(con. 1962) J. Ellroy Enchanters 77: Lila Leeds, the bait girl supreme.

3. an individual who is likely to get into trouble or face unwanted attention, esp. as sfx -bait, e.g. jailbait n.

1959		D. Hewett Bobbin Up (1961) 202: ‘Yank bait!’ She winked at Gwennie. ‘They reckon the trolls all get down the wharves when the Yanks are due in.’.
1977		Eble Campus Sl. Fall 4: jock-bait – a girl who dates only athletes.

4. (US) a homosexual male who is sexually appealing to his peers.

1961		‘Lou Rand’ Gay Detective (2003) 19: Let me at that blondined Navy-bait.
1966		Trimble 5000 Adult Sex Words and Phrases 21: bait (Sl.) n. An Effeminate who receives unwanted attention from male Homosexuals.
1986–7		Maledicta IX 145: Special terms not much known outside male prostitute circles include […] bait.

5. (US gay) an undercover policeman, used for entrapment of homosexuals.

1972		B. Rodgers Queens’ Vernacular 27: bait attractive, young male, in league with the police or criminal element to entrap homosexuals into performing an act of sex in a public place.
1989–2003		R.O. Scott Gay Sl. Dict. 🌐 bait: 1. attractive young man or boy, used by the police to entrap gay men into performing a sex act in public.

6. (US black) a woman with noticeable body odour [the rotting meat or fish that is often used as a hunter’s bait].

1980

E. Folb Runnin’ Down Some Lines 146: A skag is a thunder chicken, a garbage mouth buzzard, a funky, low-life bitch! [...] Skunk! Bait! Tramp!

7. see jailbait n. (1)