noun
- a cruel historical entertainment in which dogs were set upon a chained bear
Usage: historical; archaic
Examples
- Bearbaiting was a popular form of entertainment in medieval England.
- The practice of bearbaiting was eventually banned due to its cruelty.
- Shakespeare’s Globe Theatre was built near bearbaiting arenas in London.
- Animal rights advocates today condemn historical practices like bearbaiting.
- Bearbaiting rings were common gathering places in 16th-century towns.
- The cruel sport of bearbaiting involved chaining a bear to a post.