bite
past tense bit
past participle bitten present participle biting
past tense bit past participle bitten present participle biting
1 to use your teeth to cut, crush, or chew something :
The dog bit him and made his hand bleed.
teeth
[intransitive and transitive]The dog bit him and made his hand bleed.
bite into/through/at/down
She bit into a croissant and took a sip of coffee.
An adult conger eel can easily bite through a man's leg.
She bit into a croissant and took a sip of coffee.An adult conger eel can easily bite through a man's leg.
bite something off
a man whose arm was bitten off by an alligator
a man whose arm was bitten off by an alligator
bite your nails (=bite the nails on your fingers, especially because you are nervous)
I wish I could stop biting my nails.
I wish I could stop biting my nails.
2 to injure someone by making a hole in their skin [↪ sting]:
I think I've been bitten.
The dog's been badly bitten by fleas.
insect/snake
[intransitive and transitive]I think I've been bitten.The dog's been badly bitten by fleas.
3 if an object bites into a surface, it presses firmly into it and does not move or slip
press hard
[intransitive]
bite into
The hooves of the galloping horses had bitten deep into the soft earth.
He wore boots that bit into the ice.
The hooves of the galloping horses had bitten deep into the soft earth.He wore boots that bit into the ice.
4 to start to have an unpleasant effect :
The new tobacco taxes have begun to bite.
effect
[intransitive]The new tobacco taxes have begun to bite.
bite into
The recession is biting into the music industry.
The recession is biting into the music industry.
5 to believe what someone tells you or to buy something they are selling, especially when they have persuaded you to do this :
The new camcorders were withdrawn after consumers failed to bite.
accept
[intransitive]The new camcorders were withdrawn after consumers failed to bite.
6 if a fish bites, it takes food from a hook and so gets caught :
The fish just aren't biting today.
fish
[intransitive]The fish just aren't biting today.
7 to stop yourself from saying what you really think, even though this is difficult :
She should have bitten her tongue.
bite your tongue
She should have bitten her tongue.
8 to die, fail, or be defeated :
Italy's championship hopes eventually bit the dust.
bite the dust
informalItaly's championship hopes eventually bit the dust.
9 to start dealing with an unpleasant or dangerous situation because you cannot avoid it any longer :
I finally bit the bullet and left.
bite the bullet
informalI finally bit the bullet and left.
11 used to say that there is no need to be afraid of someone, especially someone in authority :
Well go and ask him - he won't bite!
he/she won't bite
spokenWell go and ask him - he won't bite!
13 used to say that you dislike someone or something very much or think that something is very bad
something/somebody bites
spoken not polite
14 used to say that if you have failed or been hurt once, you will be more careful next time
once bitten, twice shy
➔ bite somebody's head off
at head1 (33) ➔ nail-bitingbite back
phrasal verb
1 to stop yourself from saying or showing what you really think :
Tamar bit back the retort which sprang to her lips.
bite something ↔ back
Tamar bit back the retort which sprang to her lips.
2 to react strongly and angrily to something
bite back at
Determined to bite back at car thieves, he wired his car to an electric fence.
Determined to bite back at car thieves, he wired his car to an electric fence.
Definition from the Longman Dictionary of Contemporary English
Advanced Learner's Dictionary.
Advanced Learner's Dictionary.
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