Bite | Mean of bite in English Dictionary

/ˈbaɪt/

• Verb
• to press down on or cut into (someone or something) with the teeth
1. He bit the apple.
2. The hamster bit the child.
3. She bit the cookie in half.
4. Some people bite their nails when they feel nervous.
5. The child bit off a corner of the cracker.
6. A wild animal may bite if it is frightened.
7. He accidentally bit down on his tongue.
8. She had just bitten into her sandwich when the phone rang.
9. The dog bit through its leash and ran off.
10. Go talk to him. He won't bite. [=you should not be afraid to go talk to him]
• to wound (someone) by pushing a stinger, fang, etc., into the skin
1. The patient had been bitten by a poisonous snake.
2. A mosquito bit me.
3. The mosquitoes are biting tonight.
4. He was bitten by the travel bug. [=he became very interested in or excited about traveling]
• to grab and hold something without slipping
1. The anchor bit into the ocean floor.

• to take a fishhook and bait into the mouth and usually to get caught
1. Are the fish biting today?
• to respond to or accept something that is being offered
1. We offered them a great deal, but they wouldn't bite. [=they wouldn't accept the deal]
2. “I just heard the juiciest piece of gossip!” “OK, I'll bite. [=I'll ask the question you want me to ask] What is it?”
• to have a bad effect
1. With the recession starting to bite, many government-funded programs have had to be eliminated.
• to be extremely bad
1. This movie really bites. [=sucks, stinks]
2. “They canceled the concert.” “Man, that bites!” [=(politely) that's awful]
• to attack or criticize someone who has attacked or criticized you
1. Weary of her rival's accusations, the candidate bit back [=hit back, fought back] with an aggressive ad campaign.
2. She bit back at her rival with an aggressive ad campaign.
• to stop yourself from saying (something)
1. I attempted to smile sweetly while biting back angry comments.
• to try to do too much
1. I really bit off more than I could chew when I took on this project.
• to yell at someone or to be very critical of someone especially very suddenly and without a good reason
1. I asked him one simple question and he bit my head off.
• to do something unpleasant or painful because it is necessary even though you would like to avoid it
1. We need to bite the bullet and make some budget cuts.
• to die or stop functioning
1. My old car finally bit the dust and I had to buy a new one.
• to harm someone who has helped or supported you
1. He was reluctant to criticize his mentor for fear of biting the hand that fed him.
• to not speak
1. I thought she was acting foolishly, but I bit my tongue [=held my tongue] and didn't say anything.
2. “I hope he gets hurt.” “Bite your tongue! [=don't say that] That's a terrible thing to say!”
• Noun
• an act of biting
1. He ate the candy bar in three quick bites.
2. She gave her lip a gentle bite.
3. The fisherman felt a bite at the end of his line and reeled in a fish.
• the way the upper and lower teeth come together
1. My teenage daughter wears a special device at night to correct her bite.
• the amount of food eaten with a bite
1. He took several bites (out) of the apple.
2. She didn't touch/eat a bite. [=she didn't eat anything]
3. I can't eat another bite. [=I'm completely full; I no longer feel any hunger]
• a small amount of food
1. We grabbed a quick bite (to eat) before the show.
2. They've gone out for a bite (to eat).
• a wound made by biting
1. Don't scratch that mosquito bite.
• a bad effect
1. Many agencies have been feeling the bite of budget cuts.
• a sharp feeling or taste
1. We felt the bite of the cold wind on our cheeks.
2. The soup has a peppery bite.
• a sharp quality in something written, spoken, or performed
1. satirical bite
2. the bite of his humor