Trolling
Etymology
The word borrows not from the folkloric "troll" but from the angling sense of "trolling" — dragging baited lines slowly through water to see what bites. On 1980s–90s Usenet, veterans spoke of "trolling for newbies," and the fishing metaphor fused with the mythic monster into today’s meaning.
The angling "troll" comes from Old French "troller," to wander in search of game. The Norse "troll," the monstrous creature whose menace also colors the internet sense, is a distinct root — the overlap of the two images, patient baiting and grotesque menace, is why the term stuck.
noun · /TROHL-ing/
Posting deliberately provocative or off-topic content online to bait others into an emotional reaction.
What it names
Disruption pursued for its own amusement, distinct from sincere disagreement.
Example
He wasn’t confused about the topic; he was trolling, and the thread’s fury was exactly the catch he wanted.
Related idea
Unlike sealioning, which hides behind exhausting fake politeness, trolling makes no pretense of good faith and often courts open outrage.
verb · /TROHL-ing/
A fishing method in which a baited line or lure is drawn slowly through the water behind a moving boat.
What it names
dragging bait to catch fish
Example
They spent the morning trolling for salmon along the underwater drop-off.
Related idea
The online sense keeps the same picture — bait trailed to see what strikes — one link in a social food chain.