lure

American Heritage® Dictionary of the English Language, Fourth Edition

1. n. Something that tempts or attracts with the promise of pleasure or reward.
2. n. An attraction or appeal.
3. n. A decoy used in catching animals, especially an artificial bait used in catching fish.
4. n. A bunch of feathers attached to a long cord, used in falconry to recall the hawk.
5. v. To attract by wiles or temptation; entice.
6. v. To recall (a falcon) with a lure.

Century Dictionary and Cyclopedia

1. n. In falconry, a decoy used to recall the hawk to its perch on the fist. An artificial lure is composed of wings or feathers so arranged as to resemble a bird, secured to a long thong. Some kind of food is sometimes attached to the lure, and the hawk is strongly attracted by it when it is tossed or swung in the air by the falconer with a peculiar whistle or call.
2. n. In heraldry, the representation of a lure with a line or leash at the end of which is a hawk's bell.
3. n. In angling, an artificial as distinguished from a natural bait; something to attract a fish which the fish cannot eat. Thus, an artificial fly or minnow, a spoon, red rag, etc., are lures, while a fly, worm, frog, etc., are baits.
4. n. Any means of enticement; anything that attracts by the prospect of pleasure or profit.
5. n. An enticing action or display; allurement; enticement; temptation.
6. To call; utter a peculiar call or cry, as in attracting an animal.
7. To attract as by a falconer's lure and call; decoy; entice by the display of something.
8. To allure; entice; invite by anything that promises pleasure or profit.
9. Synonyms Entice, Decoy, etc. See allure.
10. n. An ancient form of trumpet still in use in Scandinavia, having a curved tube several feet long, used for calling cattle, and by traveling parties as a signal.
11. n. Same as lore.
12. n. A Middle English form of leer.
13. n. In hat-manuf., same as looer.

Wiktionary

1. n. Something that tempts or attracts, especially one with a promise of reward or pleasure.
2. n. fishing An artificial bait attached to a fishing line to attract fish.
3. n. A bunch of feathers attached to a line, used in falconry to recall the hawk.
4. v. To attract by temptation etc.; to entice.
5. v. To recall a hawk with a lure.

GNU Webster's 1913

1. n. A contrivance somewhat resembling a bird, and often baited with raw meat; -- used by falconers in recalling hawks.
2. n. Any enticement; that which invites by the prospect of advantage or pleasure; a decoy.
3. n. (Hat Making) A velvet smoothing brush.
4. v. To draw to the lure; hence, to allure or invite by means of anything that promises pleasure or advantage; to entice; to attract.
5. v. To recall a hawk or other animal.

WordNet 3.0

1. n. qualities that attract by seeming to promise some kind of reward
2. v. provoke someone to do something through (often false or exaggerated) promises or persuasion
3. n. something used to lure fish or other animals into danger so they can be trapped or killed
4. n. anything that serves as an enticement