bit off more than can chew - definition of bit off more than can chew by the Free Online Dictionary, Thesaurus and Encyclopedia.

bite (b

v. bit (b

t), bit·ten (b

n) or bit, bit·ing, bites

v.tr.

1. To cut, grip, or tear with or as if with the teeth.

a. To pierce the skin of with the teeth, fangs, or mouthparts.

b. To sting with a stinger.

3. To cut into with or as if with a sharp instrument: The ax bit the log deeply.

4. To grip, grab, or seize: bald treads that couldn't bite the icy road; bitten by a sudden desire to travel.

5. To eat into; corrode.

6. To cause to sting or be painful: cold that bites the skin; a conscience bitten by remorse.

v.intr.

1. To grip, cut into, or injure something with or as if with the teeth.

2. To have a stinging effect.

3. To have a sharp taste.

4. To take or swallow bait.

5. To be taken in by a ploy or deception: tried to sell the Brooklyn Bridge, but no one bit.

6. Vulgar Slang To be highly disagreeable or annoying.

1. The act of biting.

2. A skin wound or puncture produced by an animal's teeth or mouthparts: the bite of an insect.

a. A stinging or smarting sensation.

b. An incisive, penetrating quality: the bite of satire.

4. An amount removed by or as if by an act of biting: Rezoning took a bite out of the town's residential area.

5. An excerpt or fragment taken from something larger, such as a film.

a. An amount of food taken into the mouth at one time; a mouthful.

b. Informal A light meal or snack.

7. The act or an instance of taking bait: fished all day without a bite; an ad that got a few bites but no final sales.

a. A secure grip or hold applied by a tool or machine upon a working surface.

b. The part of a tool or machine that presses against and maintains a firm hold on a working surface.

9. Dentistry The angle at which the upper and lower teeth meet; occlusion.

10. The corrosive action of acid upon an etcher's metal plate.

11. Slang An amount of money appropriated or withheld: trying to avoid the tax bite.

Idioms:

bite off more than (one) can chew

To decide or agree to do more than one can finally accomplish.

bite (someone's) head off

To respond to a comment in an angry or reproachful way.

bite the bullet Slang

To face a painful situation bravely and stoically.

bite the dust Slang

1. To fall dead, especially in combat.

2. To be defeated.

3. To come to an end.

bite the hand that feeds (one)

To repay generosity or kindness with ingratitude and injury.

[Middle English biten, from Old English btan; see bheid- in Indo-European roots.]

bita·ble, bitea·ble adj.

biter n.

Synonyms: bite, champ¹, chomp, gnaw
These verbs mean to seize and tear or grind something with the teeth: bite into a ripe apple; a horse champing at its bit; a cow chomping its hay; a dog gnawing a bone.

bite

Verb

[biting, bit, bitten]

1. to grip, cut off, or tear with the teeth or jaws

2. (of animals or insects) to injure by puncturing (the skin) with the teeth or fangs

3. (of corrosive material) to eat away or into

4. to smart or cause to smart; sting

5. Angling (of a fish) to take the bait or lure

6. to take firm hold of or act effectively upon: turn the screw till it bites the wood

7. Slang to annoy or worry: what's biting her?

Noun

1. the act of biting

2. a thing or amount bitten off

3. a wound or sting inflicted by biting

4. Angling an attempt by a fish to take the bait or lure

5. a snack

6. a stinging or smarting sensation [Old English bītan]

biter n

Bite a piece bitten off; a mouthful, 1535; Thieves’ cant. cash or money.

Example: a bite of mites (modern pun).

ThesaurusLegend: Synonyms Related Words Antonyms

Noun	1.	bite - a wound resulting from biting by an animal or a person dog bite - a bite inflicted by a dog snakebite - a bite inflicted by a (venomous) snake wound, lesion - an injury to living tissue (especially an injury involving a cut or break in the skin)
	2.	bite - a small amount of solid food; a mouthful; "all they had left was a bit of bread" morsel, bit mouthful, taste - a small amount eaten or drunk; "take a taste--you'll like it" chaw, chew, cud, plug, quid, wad - a wad of something chewable as tobacco crumb - small piece of e.g. bread or cake sop, sops - piece of solid food for dipping in a liquid
	3.	bite - a painful wound caused by the thrust of an insect's stinger into skin insect bite, sting harm, hurt, injury, trauma - any physical damage to the body caused by violence or accident or fracture etc. bee sting - a sting inflicted by a bee flea bite - sting inflicted by a flea mosquito bite - a sting inflicted by a mosquito
	4.	bite - a light informal meal collation, snack meal, repast - the food served and eaten at one time refreshment - snacks and drinks served as a light meal nosh - (Yiddish) a snack or light meal coffee break, tea break - a snack taken during a break in the work day; "a ten-minute coffee break"; "the British have tea breaks"
	5.	bite - (angling) an instance of a fish taking the bait; "after fishing for an hour he still had not had a bite" fishing, sportfishing - the act of someone who fishes as a diversion success - an event that accomplishes its intended purpose; "let's call heads a success and tails a failure"; "the election was a remarkable success for the Whigs"
	6.	bite - wit having a sharp and caustic quality; "he commented with typical pungency"; "the bite of satire" pungency humor, wit, witticism, wittiness, humour - a message whose ingenuity or verbal skill or incongruity has the power to evoke laughter
	7.	bite - a strong odor or taste property; "the pungency of mustard"; "the sulfurous bite of garlic"; "the sharpness of strange spices"; "the raciness of the wine" raciness, pungency, sharpness spicery, spiciness, spice - the property of being seasoned with spice and so highly flavored
	8.	bite - the act of gripping or chewing off with the teeth and jaws chomp eating, feeding - the act of consuming food munch - a large bite; "he tried to talk between munches on the sandwich" nibble - gentle biting pinch, nip - a small sharp bite or snip
	9.	bite - a portion removed from the whole; "the government's weekly bite from my paycheck" subtraction, deduction - the act of subtracting (removing a part from the whole); "he complained about the subtraction of money from their paychecks" jargon, lingo, patois, argot, vernacular, slang, cant - a characteristic language of a particular group (as among thieves); "they don't speak our lingo"
Verb	1.	bite - to grip, cut off, or tear with or as if with the teeth or jaws; "Gunny invariably tried to bite her" seize with teeth grip - hold fast or firmly; "He gripped the steering wheel" gnaw - bite or chew on with the teeth; "gnaw an old cracker" bite off, snap at - bite off with a quick bite; "The dog snapped off a piece of cloth from the intruder's pants" snap - bring the jaws together; "he snapped indignantly" nibble - bite gently; "The woman tenderly nibbled at her baby's ear" nip - give a small sharp bite to; "The Queen's corgis always nip at her staff's ankles" nibble - bite off very small pieces; "She nibbled on her cracker" bite off, snap at - bite off with a quick bite; "The dog snapped off a piece of cloth from the intruder's pants"
	2.	bite - cause a sharp or stinging pain or discomfort; "The sun burned his face" sting, burn nettle, urticate - sting with or as with nettles and cause a stinging pain or sensation burn - feel hot or painful; "My eyes are burning" hurt, smart, ache - be the source of pain
	3.	bite - penetrate or cut, as with a knife; "The fork bit into the surface" pierce - make a hole into; "The needle pierced her flesh"
	4.	bite - deliver a sting to; "A bee stung my arm yesterday" sting, prick pierce - make a hole into; "The needle pierced her flesh"

bite

verb 1. nip, cut, tear, wound, grip, snap, crush, rend, pierce, champ, pinch, chew, crunch, clamp, nibble, gnaw, masticate

verb 2. eat, burn, smart, sting, erode, tingle, eat away, corrode, wear away

noun 3. snack, food, piece, taste, refreshment, mouthful, morsel, titbit, light meal

noun 4. wound, sting, pinch, nip, prick

noun 5. edge, interest, force, punch (informal) sting, zest, sharpness, keenness, pungency, incisiveness, acuteness

noun 6. kick, (informal) edge, punch (informal) spice, relish, zest, tang, sharpness, piquancy, pungency, spiciness

Translations

bite [baɪt] vt, vi [pt bit] [bɪt] [pp bitten] [ˈbɪtn] → morder; [insect etc] → picar

n (= wound) [of dog, snake etc] → mordedura; [of insect] → picadura (= mouthful); bocado;

to bite one's nails → morderse las uñas;

let's have a bite (to eat) → comamos algo

bite [baɪt] vt, vi [bit , pt , bitten , pp ] [bɪt, ˈbɪtn] → mordre; [insect] → piquer

n → morsure f (= insect bite); piqûre f (= mouthful); bouchée f;

let's have a bite (to eat) → mangeons un morceau;

to bite one's nails → se ronger les ongles

bite [baɪt] [bit , pt , bitten , pp ] vt, vi → beißen;

(subj) (insect etc) → stechen

n (insect bite) → Stich m;

(mouthful) → Bissen m;

to bite one's nails → an seinen Nägeln kauen;

let's have a bite (to eat) (inf) → lasst uns eine Kleinigkeit essen

bite [baɪt] vt, vi [pt bit] [bɪt] [pp bitten] [ˈbɪtn] → mordere

n → morso (= insect bite); puntura (= mouthful); boccone m;

let's have a bite (to eat) → mangiamo un boccone;

to bite one's nails → mangiarsi le unghie

bite

v bite [bait]

to seize, grasp or tear (something) with the teeth or jaws The dog bit his leg; He was bitten by a mosquito.bytيَعُضُّзахапвам, ухапвам(po)kousat, (po)štípatbidebißenδαγκώνω, τσιμπώmorder, picar (pez, etc)hammustamaگاز گرفتن؛ نیش زدنpurra, pistäämordre, piquerלִנְשוֹך, לִנְגוֹסकाटनाugristi(meg)harap, (meg)marmenggigitbítamordere; pungereかむ물다(į)kąstigigitbijtenbitegryźćmordera muşca; a înţepaкусатьpohrýzť, poštípaťugrizniti, pičitizagristibitaกัดısırmak咬кусати(ся); жалитиکاٹناcắn; châm đốt咬

1 an act of biting or the piece or place bitten a bite from the apple; a mosquito bite.bytعَضَّه، قَضْمَـهухапванеsousto, kousnutí; štípnutíbidder Bißδάγκωμα, δαγκωματιάmordisco; picadurasuutäis, hammustusگاز؛ گزندگیpuraisu, pistomorsure, bouchée, piqûreנְגִיסָה, נְשִׁיכָהकौर, काटugrizharapás, csípésgigitanbitmorso; punturaかむこと물기, 물린 자리įkandimaskodiens; kodums; dzēliensmenggigithap, beetbit, bitt, (insekt)stikkgryzienie, kęsmordidelamuşcătură; înţepăturăукусzahryznutie; uhryznutie; uštipnutieugriz, pikugriztugga, bettรอยกัดısırık咬кусок; укусکاٹنے کا کام یا مقامsự cắn; sự châm đốt咬

2 the nibble of a fish on the end of one's line I've been fishing for hours without a bite.bytقِطْعَه، شَقْفَه، لُقْمَـهкълванеzabráníbiddas Anbeißenτσίμπημα δολώματος από ψάριpicadanäkkamineگاز زدن به طعمۀسر قلابnykäisypriseתְפִיסַת דַגचुभोनाgrizharapás, kapáshasil kailan ikannartpresa餌に食いつくこと(물고기가) 미끼를 물기kibimas(zivju) piekošanāsdimakan umpanbeetnapp`branie`mordidelamuşcătură (din momeală)клёв(za)brať (o rybách)prijem (za trnek)mamacnappงับoltaya vurma(魚的)上釣клювання; шматокشکار میں آنے والی مچھلیsự cắn câu (cá)（鱼的）上钓

adj ˈbiting

1 very cold and causing discomfort a biting wind.snerpendeقارِس، شَديدлютostrý, štiplavýbidendebeißendτσουχτερός, πολύ κρύοςpenetrante, cortantelõikavتند و تیز؛ پر سوزpurevamordantחַד, צוֹרֵבकड़ाके की सर्दीštipavcsípőssangat dinginbítandi, nístandipungente身を切るような살을 에는 듯한geliantis, smelkiantisass; kodīgsangin dinginbijtendbitendedokuczliwycortantemuşcătorрезкий, пронизывающийostrýosteroštarbitandeหนาวมากและacı, keskin, buz gibi尖利刺人的різкийنہایت خنک ، تکلیف دہbuốt尖利刺人的

2 wounding or hurtful a biting remark.bitsigeلاذِع، جارِحязвителенjedovatýbidendebeißendδηκτικός, φαρμακερόςmordaz, incisivosalvavکنایه آمیزpisteliäscinglantצוֹרֵבनिर्दयी, क्रूरjedakgúnyosmenyakitkanmeinlegur, særandipungente痛烈な신랄한kandusdzēlīgsgigitanscherpstikkende, sviende, skarpkąśliwycortantemuşcătorязвительныйuštipačnýjedekzajedljivsvidande, sarkastiskเจ็บปวดacımasız, iğneli, alaylı辛辣的їдкий, різкийدکھی کر دینے والاđau đớn辛辣的

bite the dust

to fail; to be unsuccessful That's another scheme that's bitten the dust.in die stof bytيَفْشَل، يَسْقُط، يَهْويпровалям сеselhat, neuspětbide i græssetins Gras beißenαποτυγχάνω, καταρρέωmorder el polvopõrmu varisemaناموفق بودن؛ با شکست روبرو شدنmennä pieleen, epäonnistuamordre la poussièreלִיפּוֹל אַרְצָה, לְהִיהָרֵגधूल चाटनाne uspjetikudarcba fullad, fűbe harapgagal, kalahmisheppnast; bíða banamordere la polvere失敗する패배하다nepavykti, nepasisektiizgāzties (par projektu, plānu u.tml.)gagalin het zand bijtenbite i gressetnie wypalić, nie udać sięmorder o póa eşuaпадать ницzlyhať, neuspieťpolomiti si zobepropastibita i gräset, stupaประสบความล้มเหลวbaşarısızlığa uğramak, hezimete uğramak大敗програти, зазнати поразкиناکام ہوناthất bại ê chề大败

bite (redirected from bit off more than can chew)

bite
(redirected from bit off more than can chew)