RISE TO THE BAIT

To rise to the bait is to react to provocation (something said or done) by someone exactly as they intended.

 This refers to a fish coming to the surface to take bait [1].

 Examples of use:

 “Actress, comedian and writer Tara Flynn and her husband, scriptwriter Carl Austin rose to the bait and agreed to spend the morning shopping with Peter and getting into the mood.”

 “David Cameron has refused to rise to the bait after being subjected to a brutal tongue-lashing from actor Danny Dyer over his part in Brexit.”

 “Steve Clarke tells his Kilmarnock defenders not to rise to the bait against Alfredo Morelos”


 [1] “rise” In Oxford Dictionary of English Idioms, edited by Ayto, John. Oxford University Press, 2009.

 Photo credit: Xi Liu