bait vs lash

bait

verb
  • To intentionally annoy, torment, or threaten by constant rebukes or threats; to harass. 

  • (of a person) To stop to take a portion of food and drink for refreshment during a journey. 

  • To attract with bait; to entice. 

  • (of a horse or other animal) To take food, especially during a journey. 

  • To set dogs on (an animal etc.) to bite or worry; to attack with dogs, especially for sport. 

  • To affix bait to a trap or a fishing hook or fishing line. 

adj
  • Well-known; famous; renowned. 

  • Obvious; blatant. 

noun
  • Food containing poison or a harmful additive to kill animals that are pests. 

  • A light or hasty luncheon. 

  • A packed lunch. 

  • A post intended to get a rise out of others. 

  • Anything which allures; something used to lure or entice someone or something into doing something 

  • A small meal taken mid-morning while farming. 

  • Any substance, especially food, used in catching fish, or other animals, by alluring them to a hook, snare, trap, or net. 

  • A portion of food or drink, as a refreshment taken on a journey; also, a stop for rest and refreshment. 

  • A miner's packed meal. 

lash

verb
  • To scold; or to satirize; to censure with severity. 

  • To utter censure or sarcastic language. 

  • To throw out with a jerk or quickly. 

  • To fall heavily, especially in the phrase lash down. 

  • Used in phrasal verbs: lash back, lash out. 

  • To strike forcibly and quickly, as with a lash; to beat, or beat upon, with a motion like that of a lash. 

  • To strike with a lash; to whip or scourge with a lash, or with something like one. 

  • To ply the whip; to strike. 

  • To bind with a rope, cord, thong, or chain, so as to fasten. 

noun
  • The thong or braided cord of a whip, with which the blow is given. 

  • A quick and violent sweeping movement, as of an animal's tail; a swish. 

  • A stroke of satire or sarcasm; an expression or retort that cuts or gives pain; a cut. 

  • An attempt; a go at something. 

  • In carpet weaving, a group of strings for lifting simultaneously certain yarns, to form the figure. 

  • A stroke with a whip, or anything pliant and tough, often given as a punishment. 

  • A hair growing from the edge of the eyelid; an eyelash. 

  • Looseness between fitted parts, either intentional (as allowance) or unintentional (from error or wear). 

adj
  • Excellent, wonderful. 

  • Drunk. 

  • Soft, watery, wet. 

How often have the words bait and lash occurred in a corpus of books? (source: Google Ngram Viewer )