noun
- plural of bullbaiting; instances or events of the practice of setting dogs to attack or harass a bull for sport or entertainment
Usage: historical; archaic; considered cruel and inhumane by modern standards
Examples
- Bullbaitings were popular spectacles in medieval and early modern England.
- The cruel practice of bullbaitings was eventually outlawed in the 19th century.
- Historical records document numerous bullbaitings held in town squares across Europe.
- Animal welfare advocates point to the abolition of bullbaitings as an early victory for animal protection.