English Dictionary

Definition of “bite”

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bite (baɪtPronunciation for bite) 

Definitions

verb

Word forms: bites, biting, bit, bitten
  1. to grip, cut off, or tear with or as if with the teeth or jaws
  2. (of animals, insects, etc) to injure by puncturing or tearing (the skin or flesh) with the teeth, fangs, etc, esp as a natural characteristic
  3. (tr) to cut or penetrate, as with a knife
  4. (of corrosive material such as acid) to eat away or into
  5. to smart or cause to smart; sting  ⇒ mustard bites the tongue 
  6. (intr) angling (of a fish) to take or attempt to take the bait or lure
  7. to take firm hold of or act effectively upon
  8. to grip or hold (a workpiece) with a tool or chuck
  9. (of a screw, thread, etc) to cut into or grip (an object, material, etc)
  10. (tr) informal to annoy or worry  ⇒ what's biting her? 
  11. (often passive) slang to cheat
  12. (tr)  often foll by for Australian New Zealand slang to ask (for); scrounge from
  13. See bite off more than one can chew
  14. See bite the bullet
  15. See bite someone's head off
  16. See bite the dust
  17. See bite the hand that feeds one
  18. See once bitten, twice shy
  19. See put the bite on someone

noun

  1. the act of biting
  2. a thing or amount bitten off
  3. a wound, bruise, or sting inflicted by biting
  4. angling an attempt by a fish to take the bait or lure
  5. informal an incisive or penetrating effect or quality  ⇒ that's a question with a bite 
  6. a light meal; snack
  7. a cutting, stinging, or smarting sensation
  8. the depth of cut of a machine tool
  9. the grip or hold applied by a tool or chuck to a workpiece
  10. dentistry the angle or manner of contact between the upper and lower teeth when the mouth is closed naturally
  11. the surface of a file or rasp with cutting teeth
  12. the corrosive action of acid, as on a metal etching plate

Alternative Forms

ˈbiter noun

Word Origin

Old English bītan ; related to Latin findere  to split, Sanskrit bhedati he splits

Translations

  • British English: bite Pronunciation for bite A bite of something, especially food, is the action of biting it.He took another bite of apple.baɪt NOUN He took another bite of apple.
  • Spanish: mordisco Pronunciation for mordisco nm
  • French: morsure Pronunciation for morsure nf
  • German: Biss Pronunciation for Biss nm
  • Chinese: 一口Pronunciation for 一口 n
  • Arabic: عَضَّةPronunciation for عَضَّة n
  • Portuguese: dentadaPronunciation for dentada nf
  • Russian: укусPronunciation for укус nm
  • Croatian: ugristiPronunciation for ugristi v
  • Czech: kousnutíPronunciation for kousnutí nnt
  • Danish: bidPronunciation for bid nnt
  • Dutch: hapjePronunciation for hapje nnt
  • Finnish: puraisuPronunciation for puraisu n
  • Greek: δάγκωμαPronunciation for δάγκωμα nnt
  • Italian: morsoPronunciation for morso v
  • Japanese: かむことPronunciation for かむこと n
  • Korean: 물기Pronunciation for 물기 n
  • Norwegian: bittPronunciation for bitt nnt
  • Polish: ukąszeniePronunciation for ukąszenie nnt
  • Brazilian Portuguese: mordidaPronunciation for mordida nf
  • European Spanish: mordisco Pronunciation for mordisco nm
  • Swedish: bettPronunciation for bett nnt
  • Thai: รอยกัดPronunciation for รอยกัด n
  • Turkish: ısırmaPronunciation for ısırma n
  • Vietnamese: miếng cắnPronunciation for miếng cắn n
  • British English: bite Pronunciation for bite If you bite something, you use your teeth to cut into it, for example in order to eat it or break it. If an animal or person bites you, they use their teeth to hurt or injure you.Both sisters bit their nails as children. He bit into his sandwich.baɪt VERB Both sisters bit their nails as children. He bit into his sandwich.
  • Spanish: morder Pronunciation for morder v
  • French: mordre Pronunciation for mordre v
  • German: beißen Pronunciation for beißen v
  • Chinese: 咬Pronunciation for 咬 v
  • Arabic: يَعَضُّPronunciation for يَعَضُّ v
  • Portuguese: morderPronunciation for morder v
  • Russian: кусатьPronunciation for кусать v
  • Croatian: ugrizPronunciation for ugriz nm
  • Czech: kousnoutPronunciation for kousnout v kousat
  • Danish: bidePronunciation for bide v
  • Dutch: bijtenPronunciation for bijten v
  • Finnish: purraPronunciation for purra v
  • Greek: δαγκώνωPronunciation for δαγκώνω v
  • Italian: morderePronunciation for mordere v
  • Japanese: かむPronunciation for かむ v
  • Korean: 물다Pronunciation for 물다 v
  • Norwegian: bitePronunciation for bite v
  • Polish: pogryźćPronunciation for pogryźć v gryźć
  • Brazilian Portuguese: morderPronunciation for morder v
  • European Spanish: morder Pronunciation for morder v
  • Swedish: bitaPronunciation for bita v
  • Thai: กัดPronunciation for กัด v
  • Turkish: ısırmakPronunciation for ısırmak n
  • Vietnamese: cắnPronunciation for cắn v

Usage examples

  • A knock at the door interrupted his thoughts and made him bite his lip even harder, so he tasted blood.
    Garth Nix, LIRAEL: DAUGHTER OF THE CLAYR (2001)
  • The team also say that bite marks on the bodies of some of the mammals may provide supporting evidence.
    New Scientist (2003)
  • However, B. C. medical experts feel pretty confident in saying a bat bite caused the death.
    Globe and Mail (2003)
  • Another time, a nanny saved his skin by sucking the venom out of a tarantula bite.
    Glasgow Herald (2001)
  • Lots of village women are like that, their bark worse than their bite.
    Lide, Mary, Polmena Cove (1994)

Commonness

All English words that begin with 'B'

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