baity

comparative baitier · superlative baitiest · alternative batey

1. UKdatedslangAngry, bad-tempered.

   “Oh, sir—uncle is such a batey old chap. It was a spree! I never saw him so mad!”

   1907 August 17, The Rev. A. N. Malan, “The Mystery of Abbeyside School”, in The Boy's Own Paper, volume XXIX, number 1492, London: Religious Tract Society, page 4

   3 more examples

   ‘If Jimbug gets baity with me, like that time last week . . .’ Remembering the scene, Anthony frowned; the blood came up into his cheeks.

   1936, Aldous Huxley, Eyeless in Gaza, London: Chatto & Windus, page 55

   Blackadder: Baldrick, where's the manuscript? / Baldrick: You mean the big papery thing tied up with string? / Blackadder: Yes, Baldrick, the manuscript belonging to Dr Johnson. / Baldrick: You mean the baity fellow in the black coat who just left?

   1987 September 24, Richard Curtis, Ben Elton, “Ink and Incapability” (11:46 from the start), in Mandie Fletcher, director, Blackadder the Third (television production), via BBC1

   I welcome the offer made by the noble and learned Lord to discuss and to negotiate. If only he had done that at the beginning of November when I talked to him about the number of days that we should sit; but the noble and learned Lord got batey with me when I suggested that we should negotiate.

   2011 January 18, Lord Strathclyde (Leader of the House of Lords), “Parliamentary Voting System and Constituencies Bill”, in parliamentary debates (House of Lords), column 314

comparative baitier · superlative baitiest

1. informalConstituting bait (something intended to allure), especially Oscar bait or clickbait.

   Could it be almost too baity? It's ticking almost every Academy Award box going.

   2013 August 23, Catherine Shoard, “Oscar predictions 2014: Foxcatcher”, in The Guardian

   5 more examples

   Ginger is the latest, baitiest fashion that ever helped a girl make an impression . . . . in wonderful “Spartine” colors of black, brown, navy, cranberry, moss, red and blue.

   1963 September 4, “Manchester’s Madison”, in The Capital Times, volume 92, number 72, Madison, Wis., →ISSN, →OCLC, page 19, column 3

   "Hey, can we put her in the gold bikini? You know, the one like Princess Leia..." Andrew trailed off at the disgusted looks from his companions. […] "She's the first person we've captured, that's all," he muttered. "I thought it would make her look baitier."

   2001 November 1, Jeanny, “FIC: The Bait Bites Back, PG, 1/1”, in alt.tv.buffy-v-slayer.creative (Usenet), archived from the original on 14 May 2025

   Ignore the baity headline on the IGN video, it’s not the “craziest Souls boss yet” (bloody internet hyperbole), but it’s still cool […]

   2015 December 20, Junglist [Jeremy Ray], “Check Out A Brand New Dark Souls 3 Boss In Action (Spoiler)”, in Kotaku Australia, archived from the original on 07 Sep 2023

   A far-right talking point had been turned into a clip with a baity headline, and attracted over 26,000 views.

   2020 June 18, James Poulter, “The Far-Right Plot to Flood Radio Airwaves with Racism”, in Vice

   Survival of the baitiest: ‘Shakespeare in Love’, ‘The English Patient’, ‘Maestro’, ‘The Iron Lady’ and ‘Bohemian Rhapsody’ could all be considered awards bait

   2024 March 9, Katie Rosseinsky, “How Oscar bait took over awards season: Method acting, true-life tales and prosthetic honkers”, in The Independent, London: Independent News & Media, →ISSN, →OCLC, archived from the original on 08 Mar 2024

plural Baitys

1. A surname.