1a. Something that tempts or attracts with the promise of pleasure or reward. b. An attraction or appeal. 2. A decoy used in catching animals, especially an artificial bait used in catching fish. 3. A bunch of feathers attached to a long cord, used in falconry to recall the hawk.
TRANSITIVE VERB:
Inflected forms: lured, lur·ing, lures 1. To attract by wiles or temptation; entice. 2. To recall (a falcon) with a lure.
ETYMOLOGY:
Middle English, from Anglo-Norman, of Germanic origin.
OTHER FORMS:
lurer —NOUN luring·ly —ADVERB
SYNONYMS:
lure, entice, inveigle, decoy, tempt, seduce These verbs mean to lead or attempt to lead into a wrong or foolish course: Lure suggests the use of something that attracts like bait: Industry often lures scientists from universities by offering them huge salaries. To entice is to draw on skillfully, as by arousing hopes or desires: The teacher tried to entice the shy child into entering the classroom.Inveigle implies winning over by coaxing, flattery, or artful talk: He inveigled a friend into becoming his law partner. To decoy is to trap or ensnare by cunning or deception: Partisans dressed as simple farmers decoyed the soldiers into the crossfire.Tempt implies an encouragement or an attraction to do something, especially something immoral, unwise, or contrary to one's better judgment: I am tempted to tell him what I really think of him. To seduce is to entice away and usually suggests the overcoming of moral resistance: “The French King attempted by splendid offers to seduce him from the cause of the Republic” (Thomas Macaulay).
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